YouTube Lowers Affiliate Requirements to 500 Subscribers, Small Creators Can Now Earn

YouTube has lowered the minimum subscriber requirement for the Shopping Affiliate Programme to just 500 accounts. This announcement brings welcome news for beginner creators. Previously, YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme participants needed at least 1,000 subscribers to embed product links in their video content. “By lowering this threshold, we are opening up earning potential earlier than before,” YouTube stated in its official announcement. “Eligible creators can now diversify their revenue by tagging products from favourite brands across all Shorts, VOD, and Live content,” YouTube added. Quoted by KompasTekno from Social Media Today, the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme offers a new opportunity for creators to boost their income. Additionally, this shopping link feature has previously helped some creators achieve additional profits up to 15 times higher or more compared to before. “Every recommendation strengthens the creator’s foundation with their community, turning simple purchases into lasting and loyal relationships,” YouTube further noted. For those unfamiliar, the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme allows users to create affiliate content, such as tagging products featured in video clips. Creators can earn commissions from every sales activity originating from those links. To register as an affiliate, there are several requirements, one of which is the minimum number of followers. Over time, YouTube has been relaxing these rules. In 2023, the threshold was reduced to 20,000 subscribers. In recent years, the requirements have been progressively cut, from 4,000 subscribers, then 1,000 subscribers, and now just 500 subscribers. With this reduction in requirements, opportunities for beginner creators or those with limited subscribers are becoming even more accessible to participate in the affiliate programme. This update also has the potential to position YouTube as a new income source for creators, while increasing content engagement through the integration of product links and shopping features. The Shopping Affiliate Programme is now available in various regions, including the United States, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Brazil, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.