YouTube
YouTube is expanding its India shopping and streaming business, adding Amazon, Meesho, AJIO, Tata CLiQ and Snapdeal as affiliate partners, and Balaji Telefilms is bringing five scripted series spanning 200 episodes (Financial Express, 27 Sept). Tougher Partner Programme entry rules start February 1, 2027 (ET Small Business, 18 Sept).
What it means Influencer-marketing firms and brands face a shift toward trusted niche creators and paid partnerships.
Latest moves
Our read of each move first, where we have one; what the report said is marked Reported.
- Reported: Retail, marketplace, and affiliate-platform leaders should assess partnerships that connect creator reach with native product tagging and closed-loop attribution before YouTube-Amazon becomes a default social-commerce route.Reported: The tie-up plugs Amazon products into YouTube Shopping, allowing creators to tag items in videos and livestreams and earn commissions. It strengthens YouTube’s creator-led commerce push as its shopping affiliate program expands beyond the US, including India.Watch:
- Reported: Treat YouTube’s higher public view counts as a reach metric, but plan creator and video-commerce budgets around engaged views and a tougher path to monetisation.Reported: YouTube will count public video views from first-frame playback from August 24, while retaining engaged-view metrics for payouts.Watch:
Background
From 4 stories, the newest dated 9 Oct 2026. Summary written 10 Oct 2026.
YouTube is a video platform that features in Google's festive marketing playbook alongside AI Asset Studio, Commerce Media Network and PMax for Store Goals, which Google's Ankhee Bhakoo outlined at ET DigiPlus Fest 2026 in October 2026.[1] source: ET BrandEquity
Show 3 more paragraphs and 4 sources
A Google-commissioned Ipsos study reported in October 2026 found that Google and YouTube influence 54% of unplanned festive purchases in India.[2] source: Social Samosa Google also said 85% of users in Tier 2 and beyond browse Google and YouTube.[1] source: ET BrandEquity
On September 28, 2026, YourStory reported that Snapdeal partnered with YouTube Shopping, with more than 80% of Snapdeal's orders coming from non-metro India.[3] source: YourStory In October 2026, Storyboard18 reported that Myntra uses Meta and YouTube affiliate links to track content views through to purchases.[4] source: Storyboard18 The same Google-commissioned study found 70% of festive purchases are decided in the moment.[2] source: Social Samosa Google said 45% of YouTube Shorts viewers do not open Instagram Reels.[1] source: ET BrandEquity
YouTube Shorts is named alongside Instagram Reels in Google's comparison of short-video audiences.[1] source: ET BrandEquity Meta is the other platform whose affiliate links Myntra names beside YouTube.[4] source: Storyboard18
Sources
Questions about YouTube
What is YouTube's current strategy in India?
YouTube is being used for commerce in several ways. Snapdeal partnered with YouTube Shopping in September 2026.[3] source: YourStory Myntra uses YouTube affiliate links to track content views through to purchases in October 2026.[4] source: Storyboard18 Google included YouTube in its festive 2026 marketing playbook in October 2026.[1] source: ET BrandEquity
Who are YouTube's main competitors?
YouTube Shorts is compared with Instagram Reels. Google said in October 2026 that 45% of YouTube Shorts viewers do not open Instagram Reels.[1] source: ET BrandEquity
Stories that mention YouTube
8 stories
YouTube is named in these stories but is not their subject.
- Myntra's Instagram affiliate programme crosses 1 million sign-ups within a month of launch
- 88% of Indian travellers plan same or more overseas trips in 2027, Skyscanner survey finds
- Myntra bets on microdramas with four-film 'Folks in the Building' series with SW Network
- Meesho's Content Commerce NMV jumps 152% in 12 months, with Tier 3-4 markets driving 66% of orders
- Saregama uses GenAI videos to refresh vintage catalogue and push paid streaming
- Gen Z’s $50B spending power is pushing Indian brands toward paid social and creator-led commerce
- India’s clipping agencies emerge as a low-cost influencer channel for brands
- Google: 96% of India's cricket viewers now watch on YouTube, reshaping sports marketing