YouTube’s launching another monetization option for Shorts, with a new experiment that will see some creators able to tag products for purchase within their Shorts clips.
YouTube has begun a new pilot program with selected creators in the US, which will see product tags displayed within Shorts, with viewers in the US, India, Brazil, Canada and Australia able to see the tags and shop directly in the app.
That could provide a key lifeline for Shorts creators, and another key element in YouTube’s favor, as the battle for creative talent heats up in the space.
The challenge with short-form video is that you can’t just insert pre and mid-roll ads, like you would on longer content, which makes direct monetization difficult. YouTube has already announced a new ad program, which will see ads displayed in-between Shorts, with a percentage of all revenue generated split with creators based on Shorts performance.
But direct monetization, via product listings, could be a more lucrative and direct means to allocate funds to creators in the app, which could make Shorts a more appealing option for those looking to make money from their clips.
