At its Made on YouTube event on Tuesday, the company unveiled a series of new ways for creators to earn more with brand deals and the YouTube Shopping program. This program allows creators to earn money by featuring and tagging products in their content. Most notably, YouTube will now allow creators to swap out brand sponsorships in long-form videos.
The company is also introducing auto timestamps for product tags and auto tagging for eligible items mentioned in videos. A new brand link feature for Shorts was also announced. This new flexible approach to brand sponsorships will allow creators to dynamically insert brand segments directly into swappable slots in longer videos. When a deal with one brand is complete, creators can remove that sponsorship from the video and resell the slot to another brand.
YouTube will begin testing this feature with a small group of creators early next year.
The company will leverage an AI-powered system to identify the optimal moment a product is mentioned and automatically display the product tag at that time. YouTube says this will capture viewer interest when it is at its highest. The platform will also begin testing the ability to automatically identify and tag all eligible products mentioned in a creator’s video later this year.
For Shorts creators, they will soon be able to add a link to a brand’s site specifically for brand deals. This makes it easier for viewers to discover and buy products while allowing creators to drive results for brand partners. Creators will be able to show advertisers how their Shorts drive traffic in a way that goes beyond traditional metrics like views and likes.
YouTube also announced that it will soon be able to proactively suggest creators who may be a good fit for brands in its creator partnerships hub. This hub is a tab within Google Ads that helps brands connect with creators.
Additionally, YouTube is expanding its YouTube Shopping program to more creators and markets, including Brazil. The program is adding merchants like Nike, Etsy, Best Buy, Shark Ninja, Michaels, and Michael Kors in the U.S., and Olive Young and Zig Zag in Korea.
YouTube shared that its Gross Merchandise Volume has grown five times year-over-year. As of July 2025, more than 500,000 creators have enrolled in the program globally. The company also said it paid more than 100 billion USD to creators, artists, and media companies in the last four years.