YouTube announced that eligible creators in the U.S. can now tag Amazon products directly in their shorts, long-form videos, and livestreams, allowing them to earn commissions on resulting sales, according to medianama.com. This native integration replaces the previous method where creators pasted Amazon Associates links in video descriptions. The feature launched on Thursday and includes an auto-tagging option that scans recent uploads to add product tags automatically.
To access this feature, creators must be enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program and the Shopping Affiliate Program, and have an active Amazon Influencer or Associates account linked to their YouTube channel. Creators can also request additional products through YouTube Support if the curated catalog does not include desired items. YouTube Studio displays creators’ total daily earnings from these commissions but does not break down earnings by product or video. Returned purchases result in commission deductions from the creator’s balance.
This move aligns with growing trends in social commerce, where platforms integrate shopping features to boost creator monetization and viewer engagement. Unlike the earlier approach of linking in descriptions, native tagging streamlines the shopping experience and can increase conversion rates. While only U.S. creators can tag products, the tags are visible globally. For international viewers, YouTube may substitute a local merchant to enable commissions, or redirect to Amazon’s U.S. site if no local option exists.
The rollout marks a notable expansion of YouTube’s monetization tools for creators, with the auto-tagging feature designed to simplify product promotion. Creators in the U.S. can start using the tagging feature immediately, with earnings and product engagement tracked through YouTube Studio.