Online video sharing platform YouTube has announced the expansion of its YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program into six countries in Southeast Asia, the latest being the Philippines, through a partnership with e-commerce platform Shopee.
The move aims to capitalize on the region’s rapid growth in e-commerce, particularly in the video commerce sector, which had experienced a four-fold increase from 2022 to 2024.
In the Philippines, YouTube has a community of content creators, with over 450 channels having more than one million subscribers, and more than 6,000 channels having over 100,000 subscribers.
The growing landscape indicates a strong potential for content creator-driven sales, as recent consumer behavior studies reveal that 98% of online users are influenced by the recommendations of YouTube content creators when making purchasing decisions.
Market research firm Kantar highlighted that shopping preferences among the Southeast Asian Gen Z demographic showed that 80% of this group favors entertaining shopping experiences.
Specifically, 63% of Filipino Gen Z respondents indicated a preference for completing their purchases on e-commerce platforms, underscoring the importance of integrating engaging content with shopping options.
The collaboration between YouTube and Shopee aims to create a seamless shopping experience for consumers, blending entertainment with e-commerce.
The YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program empowers creators by allowing them to tag products in their videos, providing purchasing details and links that direct viewers to the relevant Shopee pages, simplifying the buying process for interested consumers.
In addition to supporting brands and sellers, the program offers monetization tools for creators, including Ads Revenue, YouTube Premium Revenue, Channel Memberships, Super Thanks, Super Chat, and Super Stickers.
Since its launch in Southeast Asia seven months ago, the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program has led to revenue increases of up to 50% for creators and brands. YouTube anticipates similar, if not better, success in the Philippine market.
Sapna Chadha, vice president for Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier, expressed enthusiasm about the program during the launch event.
“We’re thrilled to bring YouTube Shopping to the Philippines. Just seven months since our regional debut, we’re seeing strong traction across creators, sellers, and advertisers already. Building on this early momentum, YouTube Shopping will continue to grow, unlocking new opportunities for viewers, creators, brands, and partners across this dynamic region,” Chadha said.
