YouTube said on the 30th that it eased the requirements for joining its shopping affiliate program to expand creators' revenue opportunities.
With this overhaul, creators who are part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and have at least 500 subscribers can participate in the shopping affiliate program. The lowered threshold is intended to help early-stage creators build a revenue model.
YouTube Shopping is characterized by a structure in which creators' recommendations lead to actual purchases, based on trust with subscribers formed around shared interests. Accordingly, it is said to be establishing itself as a key revenue source even in a channel's early stages.
Results have also been confirmed in real cases. Creator Kim Botong, who produces running content, recorded more than 30,000 clicks and more than 6,600 orders over about three months after introducing the shopping feature. Currently, more than 80% of total YouTube revenue is generated from shopping.
Another creator, Ttokjubu, also saw revenue increase by more than 800% after introducing the shopping affiliate program, and in the most recent three months, more than 77% of total revenue came from shopping.
YouTube expects that, through this policy change, creators will be able to establish a stable revenue base from the early stages of their activities and build a sustainable creative ecosystem.