• by Colin Kirkland , over 1 hour ago

Building on the recent addition of Amazon product links, YouTube is expanding its shopping affiliate program by partnering with China-based Alibaba-owned ecommerce platform AliExpress, allowing creators to earn from relevant product tags. 

“Creators will be able to discover and select AliExpress products directly within YouTube Studio,” reads an announcement from AliExpress. 

Per the integration, creators can tag AliExpress products across YouTube's three major content formats—long-form videos, Shorts, and livestreams. 

“A creator could, for example, tag a consumer electronics product in an unboxing Short or during a face-to-face livestream conversation with viewers,” the announcement adds, explaining that consumers have the ability to purchase the product as they watch along. 

AliExpress products cover various categories, including consumer electronics, sports and outdoor, home and living, and lifestyle, providing creators with tens of millions of individual options to promote in their videos.  

YouTube’s partnership with AliExpress will cover four initial markets, including the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Germany. 

“Further expansion will take place in phases, in line with the rollout of YouTube's affiliate program in new markets,” AliExpress’s statement explains. 

YouTube first began testing its shopping affiliate program in 2022 on Shorts in the United States, inviting creators to earn commissions when a product they recommend in their video posts is purchased by a consumer. 

Over the years, the Google-owned company has expanded the offering through added partnerships with major online retailers, new global markets, and tagging abilities. 

By the end of 2026, YouTube plans to bring its shopping affiliate program to 35 markets, following its recent integration of Amazon tags, as well as an ongoing test designed to introduce alternative creator product tags tied to local merchants. 

Like Amazon, AliExpress is a global leader in online retail, attracting over 670 million visits per month, while bringing in $39.64 billion in global revenue, according to the company’s most recent quarterly report.