YouTube is introducing an assortment of updates to monetization that aim to close the loop between creator content, brand demand and measurable shopping outcomes. The updates, unveiled at the company’s Made on YouTube event, include swappable brand integrations in long-form videos, AI-enhanced product tagging with auto timestamps, a new brand link for Shorts, smarter brand–creator matching and an expanded YouTube Shopping presence with marquee merchants.
YouTube says that last year, Gross Merchandise Volume from Shopping was five times greater than a year prior and that as of July 2025, more than 500,000 creators have signed up for it globally. The platform also cites it has paid more than $100 billion over the past four years to creators, artists and media companies — signs that YouTube aims to pivot brand deals and commerce into core revenue pillars alongside ads and subscriptions.
Dynamic sponsorship slots for long‑form video
The headline change: Creators will now be able to place sponsorship segments in designated, rotatable slots within long-form videos. Once a campaign concludes, that section can be removed and replaced by another sponsor — without having to re-edit or re-upload the video.
In practical terms, that changes evergreen catalogs into rolling inventory. A tech reviewer might reboot a two-year-old laptop review with an up-to-date accessory sponsor, or a fitness channel could rotate through nutrition partners seasonally. It’s the YouTube version of dynamic ad insertion in podcasts, so to speak — except for native brand reads.
The feature will be tested on a limited number of creators in the new year. Look for strong interest from performance marketers that would desire continuity, creative control and the ability to optimize against outcomes that go beyond simple view counts.
AI product tags and auto timestamps for shopping
YouTube will rely on AI to determine when a product is being talked about, and display the tag at that precise time, securing purchase intent while viewers are most captivated. The platform will also test the option to automatically generate product tags for all eligible products in a video later this year.
For creators, it eliminates labor-intensive manual tagging and should boost click-through rates — particularly in categories like beauty, cooking and DIY where particular products lead to outcomes. For viewers, timed tags create less friction: See the skillet, tap the tag, check out.
Controls and accuracy are going to be key. Creators will seek the ability to review and approve tags, brands will demand protections surrounding model accuracy, brand suitability and overlapping product mentions.
Shorts brand links that demonstrate impact
Shorts creators will also soon have the option to include a link to a brand’s website specifically for paid partnerships. That also establishes a direct line from short-form attention to measurable action, enabling creators to prove their worth beyond views and likes.
Anticipate closer integration with Google Ads as well as conversion measurement, enabling advertisers to monitor traffic, add-to-cart and sales generated by Shorts. For creators, it’s a means of demanding higher rates by linking content to the outcomes marketers already measure.
Smarter brand–creator matching within Google Ads
YouTube will start proactively suggesting creators to brands within its creator partnerships hub, a tab in Google Ads that’s a way to link advertisers and talent. Done right, that could cut through some of the friction around discovery and outreach — both still painful processes for mid-market advertisers looking to make connections with up-and-coming creators.
This also edges brand deals closer to developing into a programmatic model: standardized briefs, unified reporting and common safety controls. The Interactive Advertising Bureau, of course, has long advocated for more clear measurement standards in creator media; integrated matchmaking is one step towards that.
Shopping grows with marquee merchants across markets
YouTube is opening up access to its Shopping program to additional creators and markets, including Brazil. In the U.S., Nike, Etsy, Best Buy, SharkNinja, Michaels, and Michael Kors are among the new Merchant Partners on board, while Olive Young and ZigZag have become available in Korea.
This expansion matters for conversion. Familiar brands with solid fulfillment and return policies lower buyer caution, especially for first-time social commerce buyers. A bigger catalog also raises the chances that a product to which you’ve attached a tag is in stock and at a good price.
The fivefold GMV increase is an indication that affiliate-style shopping on YouTube is moving from experiment to a meaningful revenue line. It also stakes the platform’s position as a counterweight to TikTok’s native commerce push and Instagram’s developing affiliate tools.
Why it’s important for the creator economy
Swappable brand slots, for creators, is a way that their back catalog can earn like new uploads. AI tags reduce ops overhead and introduce a new lever to improve RPM. For brands, timed product tags and Shorts links provide greater transparency around incrementality, as well as the ability to always-on optimize.
Regulatory discipline will be essential. The F.T.C.’s Endorsement Guides dictate the need for clear, conspicuous disclosures for paid partnerships; for dynamic swaps and auto tags, preserving labels across edits and geographies is a must. Count on platform-native disclosure badges to gain more credence.
The broader perspective: creator media is moving from “single-shot integrations” to refreshable, measurable inventory. If YouTube can standardize pricing signals and attribution, all while continuing to vest creative control with talent, brand deals might begin to feel a bit less bespoke and more scalable — without sacrificing authenticity.
As always, look in the weeds: approval workflows for AI tags, revenue shares by merchant, suitability controls for advertisers and how results are accounted — or not accounted — differently on Shorts versus long-form and live. It’s those mechanics that will decide whether in practice these tools actually lift earnings — and who stands to benefit most.
