In Southeast Asia’s fast-evolving digital economy, the lines between content, influence and commerce are blurring at speed. Product discovery no longer begins with a search bar, it starts within a YouTube Short, a livestream tutorial, or a product review from a trusted creator.
At the heart of this shift is the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme, a strategic collaboration between YouTube and Shopee. By combining YouTube’s immersive video ecosystem with Shopee’s robust e-commerce infrastructure (including logistics, affiliate tools, payments and seller services), the programme empowers creators, sellers and brands to transform content into commerce at scale.
Empowering creators with new monetisation opportunities
Creators now play a central role in how people discover and decide what to buy. Through the affiliate programme, YouTube creators can search, tag and promote Shopee products directly on the platform in their content, whether it’s a Short, livestream or long-form video.
This enables creators to integrate products authentically into their storytelling while earning affiliate revenue. It’s a monetisation model that complements existing income streams such as ads, branded content and channel memberships, allowing creators to build sustainable, digital businesses on their own terms.
Shopee supports this model with creator incentives like free product samples, subscriber vouchers, product sponsorships and dedicated bootcamps and trainings. These initiatives equip creators with the tools, products, and skills they need to create high-performing content, while also helping them maximise engagement and monetisation. The platform also offers competitive commission rates, ensuring creators are rewarded for driving conversions.
“Our partnership with YouTube is a natural extension of Shopee’s vision to enable commerce everywhere,” said Peggy Zhu, head of brand and growth Marketing at Shopee. “By connecting engaging video content with a seamless path to purchase, we’re empowering sellers, brands and creators to drive deeper engagement and measurable outcomes. As more creators across Southeast Asia embrace the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme, we’re proud to support them with the tools, infrastructure, and reach they need to build sustainable digital businesses — while helping sellers and brands meet consumers in the most trusted environments.”
For Malaysian tech creator Najmi Abdul Rahman (@TheKampungNerd), the collaboration has proven to be a “true two-way partnership.”
“The overall experience has been really positive,” he said. “What stood out most was Shopee’s continuous support and open communication. I’ve gained a better understanding of their processes, and they’ve learned more about the YouTube ecosystem from us creators. It feels like a strong, mutually beneficial partnership.”
Adapting to Changing Consumer Behavior
Consumers in Southeast Asia increasingly rely on creator-led content to guide their purchase decisions. According to the e-Conomy SEA 2024 report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, 86% of shoppers in the region consult YouTube videos when researching what to buy, making YouTube a natural bridge between discovery and purchase. YouTube Shopping meets this shift head-on by combining trusted storytelling with direct access to purchase, all within the content ecosystem
This trend is especially strong among consumers between the ages of 18-59. In Thailand, a recent Kantar survey found that 97% of Gen Z shoppers value credible creators and authentic user reviews, and have purchased products based on creator recommendations in the past three months. YouTube emerged as the leading platform for both short-form and long-form video content, reinforcing its role as a trusted space for content-led commerce.
“For our end April to 5.5 campaign, we featured five Samsung Galaxy phones through a series of two long-form videos and six Shorts,” shared Filipino creator Gio San Pedro (@giosanpedro). “The audience reception was surprisingly very warm, which has genuinely encouraged me to explore this type of content and campaign again. We found that videos incorporating spoken elements, whether voiceovers or talking heads, are far more effective in persuading viewers to purchase the tagged products. It feels great to know that my content helps people make more informed buying decisions and discover new tech products they might not have considered otherwise.”
Seamless product tagging allows viewers to shop directly from videos by clicking embedded links that lead to Shopee listings. Whether it’s a skincare review, home gadget unboxing or a livestream fashion haul, the journey from discovery to purchase is now smoother than ever. It’s commerce embedded naturally within entertainment, offering consumers greater confidence and convenience in their purchase decisions.
“Video commerce is transforming how people shop in Southeast Asia, with creators playing a central role in driving trust and discovery,” added Zhu. “This partnership reinforces our goal of making online shopping engaging and seamless for shoppers, while delivering impact for brands and sellers.”
Delivering results for brands and sellers
The YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme isn’t just enhancing the creator experience, it’s also delivering tangible business outcomes. With clear tracking and attribution tools, brands and sellers can measure performance at every stage of the funnel, from discovery to conversion.
According to Shopee’s Q1 2025 earnings, content-led orders, including those driven by livestreaming and short videos now account for about one-fifth of all physical goods order volume in Southeast Asia. As of March 2025, more than 4 million YouTube videos had included Shopee product links, and average daily orders attributed to YouTube content continue to climb steadily.
“YouTube is uniquely positioned to bridge entertainment and commerce at scale — and our partnership with Shopee continues to unlock new possibilities in this space,” said Ajay Vidyasagar, managing director for YouTube Southeast Asia and Emerging Markets. “We’ve seen strong traction across Southeast Asia as creators use YouTube Shopping to turn authentic content into real economic opportunity. This integration not only helps creators monetise more meaningfully, but also allows sellers and brands to engage consumers through trusted, high-intent experiences that drive results across the funnel.”
Shopee plays a critical role as the conversion engine behind these creator-led journeys. For brands and sellers, Shopee’s localised expertise across Southeast Asia, including an understanding of cultural nuances, local languages, and market dynamics, combined with YouTube’s unmatched reach as a discovery platform, creates a uniquely powerful growth engine. This positions Shopee as more than just a marketplace — it’s a strategic partner in Southeast Asia’s growing creator economy.
Scaling across Southeast Asia
Launched in Indonesia in September 2024, Shopee’s partnership with YouTube Shopping has since been expanded to Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, catering to the region’s appetite for content-led shopping experiences.
From lifestyle influencers in Singapore to tech reviewers in the Philippines, creators are embracing YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme as a way to monetise content while building stronger audience connections. As adoption grows, YouTube and Shopee continue to co-develop tools and support to help creators, sellers and brands maximise success in this evolving ecosystem.
To learn more about how to start tagging Shopee products in your YouTube videos, visit the programme page for your country: Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore.
Creators have to meet YouTube’s eligibility criteria to participate in the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Programme.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
