YouTube on Friday launched the YouTube Shopping affiliate programme in India, that would allow eligible creators to tag products in their videos and earn revenue when viewers purchase them on retailers' site.

Announcing that the programme will roll out starting with Flipkart and Myntra, Google-owned video steaming platform termed India market as a "shining contributor" to creator economy globally.

Travis Katz, General Manager and Vice President, Shopping, YouTube, said the global success of YouTube Shopping, with over 30 billion hours of shopping-related content watched in 2023 alone, underlines the power of connecting creators, viewers, and brands in exciting new ways.

"We're now bringing this same momentum to India with the launch of the YouTube Shopping affiliate programme starting with Flipkart and Myntra. We're unlocking a new phase of product discovery, powered by the strong connections between creators and their viewers," he said, adding that the programme offers Indian creators a unique opportunity to diversify their revenue streams and deepen their connection with audiences.

Put simply, YouTube Shopping affiliate programme allows creators to earn by recommending products, across videos, shorts and live streams. The programme makes it easy for viewers to discover and shop, and creates new revenue opportunities for creators, according to YouTube.

The YouTube Shopping affiliate programme builds on existing monetisation options like ads revenue, YouTube premium, brand connect, and other fan-fuelled features like channel memberships, super thanks, super chat, and super stickers, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for creators to engage and thrive on the platform.

"We're always looking to provide creators with more choice in how they connect their viewers to products they love. We will look to gradually expand to more partners in the future, as we continue to build our capabilities," Katz added.