🎥 YouTube Brings Affiliate Program to India
YouTube has launched its affiliate program in India, just in time for the festive season. The program allows creators to tag products in their content and earn commissions on referrals. YouTube is partnering with Walmart-owned Flipkart and fashion retailer Myntra to let creators access their catalogs. To join, creators must be part of the YouTube Partner Program and have at least 10,000 subscribers. YouTube's move comes after the success of similar initiatives in the U.S., where the platform started testing affiliate links in Shorts in 2022 and expanded monetization options in 2023.
🛒 Partnerships with Flipkart and Myntra
The collaboration between YouTube, Flipkart, and Myntra marks a significant step in the Indian market. Flipkart’s extensive range of products and Myntra’s fashion offerings make it easier for creators to recommend relevant products to their viewers. YouTube has highlighted that this partnership aims to make product discovery seamless, whether through videos, Shorts, or livestreams. "We’re amplifying the impact creators can have," the company stated in a recent blog post. The new program is expected to drive additional revenue streams for creators during India’s high-spending festive season.
📈 India: A Key Market for YouTube
With over 400 million users in India, YouTube sees the country as a crucial market for its growth. Since the launch of YouTube Shorts in India in 2020, the short-form video platform has garnered over a trillion views. India also boasts more than 110,000 channels with over 100,000 subscribers each. The introduction of the affiliate program taps into this vast user base, providing creators new ways to monetize their content. YouTube aims to enable more channels to earn through product placements, creating a thriving ecosystem for creators, brands, and consumers alike.
📊 Industry Experts Weigh In
Praanesh Bhuvaneswar, founder of influencer marketing platform Quroz, believes the move is a positive development for creators. “Entertainment platforms are becoming stores, and this is a milestone event in the trend for Indian consumers and brands,” he told TechCrunch. He emphasized that the program could benefit smaller creators who often struggle to attract partnerships from mainstream brands. YouTube’s affiliate program is already active in other Asian markets like South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, and this expansion into India aims to capitalize on the country’s booming digital economy.
Will YouTube’s affiliate program empower smaller creators?
