Okay, as of right now, the place where I spend the majority of my time, ashamedly, is YouTube. And it seems now they are doing their best to take full advantage of that time. With a new push of their product, YouTube Shopping, they are trying to link viewers to the items their favorite influencers suggest.
This function isn’t new. You like, me, have probably noticed the merch links below various creator videos, but now I am starting to links to products from brands. As a consumer it is incredibly helpful, because often I have gone on to search for the times talked about in videos. This program is only available to YouTube partners and official artists at a particular subscriber thresholds, only if they uphold the community guidelines. These creators get a chance to do more data analytics (what products are people looking for?), can demonstrate that they led to increased traffic for brands, and potentially make more money. But what does YouTube stand to gain from this?
Indicates that YouTube is interested in becoming a shopping destination, especially honed in on the beauty sector. Does that strategy lead to more ad revenue? Does making it easier to shop directly from videos make it more likely that people watch more videos?
In 2021, Amy Lanzi wrote, “YouTube is the matchmaker shoppers and brands have always wanted.” In the piece she wrote for Think with Google, she highlights that YouTube is a place of inspiration that drives sales. It is a key factor in the consumers information seeking journey and increases desire for different products. In short, YouTube is a brand marketer’s dream.
They’re not saying it directly, but I imagine the analytics they are able to gain from this service will help YouTube make its own arguments about its value to brands. Perhaps they too will be able to get an extra boost.
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