YouTube launched its Shopping affiliate program in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The move lets eligible creators earn commissions when viewers buy products they recommend through their content.
Amazon is the first affiliate partner in all three markets. YouTube plans to add more retailers and brands in the next phase of the rollout. The program links product discovery inside creator videos with purchases on a merchant’s website. It gives creators another income stream and brands a direct way to reach engaged audiences.
Eligible creators can tag products in long-form videos, Shorts and livestreams. When viewers click a tagged product and complete a qualifying purchase, the creator earns a commission. Creators can tag Amazon products through YouTube Studio. Google AI helps identify items featured in a video, making the tagging process faster and more accurate.
The feature also works on television. Viewers watching YouTube on a connected TV can scan an on-screen QR code with their phone and complete the purchase instantly.YouTube has kept the eligibility threshold relatively low. Creators in the YouTube Partner Program need more than 500 subscribers to participate.
They must also have uploaded at least three public videos in the past 90 days. In addition, they need either 3,000 valid public watch hours over the past year or 3 million valid Shorts views in the past 90 days.
YouTube says commissions can come from purchases by viewers globally, including those outside the three launch markets. The company positions the rollout as the first step in expanding YouTube Shopping across the MENA region. More retail partners are expected to join as the program scales
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