YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program gains traction among Indian creators

Since its launch a year ago, the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program in India has bridged the gap between content inspiration and purchase, enabling creators to monetise their audiences.

Creators from diverse categories, from skincare and fashion to tech, have used the program to make products discoverable within their videos, simplifying the shopping process for viewers. Early adopters have reported increased engagement and sales, although results vary depending on audience size and content type.

Prerna Bhadola, a skincare and haircare content creator, tagged every product featured in her videos, making it easier for viewers to shop. According to the platform, this approach improved audience engagement by streamlining the discovery process.

Bhadola said, “The YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program has added a new, meaningful revenue stream, contributing approximately 40% to my average monthly earnings. Viewer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and many say it makes their experience both time-efficient and trustworthy.”

Manmeet Bhatia, who focuses on affordable premium fashion, saw her affiliate earnings increase by nearly 70% by making products directly discoverable in her videos. She credits simplified user journeys and data-driven content planning for this growth.

Bhatia stated, “What I love most is how seamless it is. I’m not techy at all, but finding and adding links feels effortless. And the best part? My earnings have gone up by nearly 70%, which has been a huge motivation boost to stay consistent with my uploads.”

Additionally, Shadhik Azeez, who turned to YouTube Shopping after financial hardship, now earns over 10 times his previous income by using the program as a consistent revenue source, converting interactive commerce into sales.

Speaking about his experience of the program, Azeez said, “What’s even more fulfilling is how it has enhanced my audience’s experience. My viewers now love that they can instantly find and purchase the products I use and recommend, directly from my videos. Many of them share their experiences in the comments or even send me photos after trying the products I recommend. I’ve been doing affiliate marketing for almost five years, but no platform other than YouTube has ever paid me this much in affiliate commissions.”

Vineet Malhotra, a tech reviewer, reported that interactive product tagging in videos led to sales growth of over 100%, highlighting the impact of interactive commerce on audience engagement.

Malhotra added, “YouTube Shopping has changed how we connect with our audience. By tagging products directly in our videos, we’ve made the shopping process smooth and interactive. It not only increased customer convenience but also boosted our channel's sales by over 100%. For creators, YouTube Shopping is the future of content-driven commerce.”

The program demonstrates how Indian creators are leveraging affiliate links not just for revenue but to build scalable content-commerce strategies, combining authenticity, simplicity, and interactive experiences to drive measurable business results.