Amazon has become the first affiliate partner: creators in the YouTube Partner Program can tag products in regular videos, Shorts and live streams. Viewers reach the checkout page in one tap, and smart TV owners via a QR code on the screen.
The entry threshold is 500 subscribers, lower than for most other monetisation tools on the platform. Commission is earned on purchases not only in the three launch countries but also in other programme markets, including the US and Japan.
Javid Aslanov, head of YouTube for the MENA region, commented on the launch:
“This opens a huge new chapter for the creator economy, giving creators another practical way to build a business and giving brands the opportunity to reach a highly engaged audience.”
He also added: “Our affiliate partnership with Amazon helps businesses of any size find buyers at exactly the moment they are looking for recommendations.”
Product tagging is partly handled by Google AI: the algorithm identifies products shown on screen and suggests tags automatically, reducing creators’ manual work.
The size of the audience confirms the commercial potential of the channel. In June, more than 40 million signed-in users from nine MENA countries made shopping searches on the platform. A Kantar survey commissioned by YouTube showed that 86% of viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE consider YouTube creators the most trustworthy source of product recommendations, ahead of traditional advertising.
For companies supplying consumer goods to the Persian Gulf and North Africa, the launch means a new measurable sales channel with direct attribution. Amazon is already integrated into the infrastructure, and brands listed on the platform automatically become visible to an audience with high purchase intent.
YouTube called the launch the first phase of Shopping’s expansion in the region and announced that additional local and international retailers will be added. Specific dates and the names of the next partners have not been disclosed.
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