How to Use YouTube Shopping Affiliate in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt

On October 26, 2026, YouTube officially expanded its Shopping affiliate program into three Middle Eastern markets: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. The rollout launched with Amazon as the primary affiliate retail partner. For creators enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program who have at least 500 subscribers, this update provides a direct way to earn sales commissions without negotiating private brand sponsorships or stuffing video descriptions with loose web links.

Through this program, you can tag Amazon products directly in your long-form videos, Shorts, and livestreams. Viewers who click the tags are taken straight to the retailer's checkout page. The launch also introduces Google AI tools that analyze your video and suggest relevant product tags automatically, alongside on-screen QR codes designed for connected-TV viewers to complete purchases on their mobile phones.

Whether you live in the region or create content from elsewhere with a significant viewer base in the Gulf and North Africa, this expansion opens up practical monetization channels. Here is what you need to know about eligibility, how to set up tagging in YouTube Studio, and the best habits to build consistent affiliate revenue.

Who Qualifies and How to Enroll in YouTube Studio

To tag products and collect affiliate commissions through the YouTube Shopping system, your channel must meet specific eligibility criteria. YouTube lowered the subscriber barrier for its affiliate program from 10,000 to 500 subscribers, aligning it with the entry tier of the expanded YouTube Partner Program.

As of November 3, 2026, to qualify for the YouTube Shopping affiliate program in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Egypt, you must meet these conditions:

• You are actively enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program.
• Your channel has at least 500 subscribers.
• You have uploaded at least three valid public videos in the last 90 days.
• You have reached either 3,000 valid public watch hours in the past 12 months or 3 million public Shorts views in the past 90 days.
• You are located in an eligible country (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, or another participating market).
• Your channel is not an Official Artist Channel, a music channel, or partnered with a music label.
• Your channel audience is not designated as Made for Kids, and your library does not consist primarily of content made for children.
• Your channel has no active Community Guidelines strikes.

If you meet these requirements, enrollment takes place inside YouTube Studio on your desktop computer or mobile app:

1. Open YouTube Studio and click Earn in the left navigation menu.
2. Select the Shopping tab at the top of the screen.
3. Look for the card labeled Join the affiliate program.
4. Click Get Started, review the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program terms, and accept them.
5. If prompted, connect your Amazon account or verify your regional payment details.

Once accepted, a new "Products" or "Tag Products" option appears in your upload flows and inside the video details section of previously published content.

How Product Tagging Works Across Video Formats

Tagging items through YouTube Shopping creates a cleaner experience than putting raw affiliate links in a description box. When you tag an Amazon product, YouTube displays an interactive shopping badge or button directly on the video player.

You can use product tags across three distinct content formats, and each behaves slightly differently for the viewer.

Long-Form Video on Demand (VOD)

For standard widescreen videos, you can tag up to 30 products per video. During playback, a "View Products" shopping button appears in the corner of the screen. When a viewer clicks it, a drawer slides open showing product thumbnails, titles, prices, and direct links to Amazon.

A helpful feature in long-form video is timestamping. Instead of having tags sit passively in the background, you can pin a specific product tag to a precise timestamp in your video. When you hold up a microphone, unbox a kitchen gadget, or demonstrate a skin cream, the exact product tag highlights on screen at that exact moment.

YouTube Shorts

Shorts present a vertical, mobile-first viewing experience. When you tag products in a Short, a small shopping bag icon and product label appear in the bottom-left corner of the screen, just above your channel name. Tapping this label brings up the product tray without stopping playback, allowing the viewer to browse items while your Short loops.

Keep your tagging tight on Shorts. While long-form videos can support a dozen items across a 20-minute video, Shorts perform best when you tag only the one or two specific items highlighted in the clip.

Livestreams

During a livestream, you can curate a list of tagged products before you go live or add them on the fly. You can pin a single product to the top of the live chat for all viewers to see. When you move to discussing a different item, you can replace the pinned item with the next one. This gives live shopping streams an organized structure and directs audience attention exactly where you want it.

Connected-TV (CTV) Experience

A significant portion of YouTube viewing happens on smart televisions and streaming boxes. Because viewers cannot easily click a link on a television screen, YouTube uses on-screen QR codes. When a television viewer opens the shopping overlay, an on-screen QR code appears next to the product. Scanning the code with their mobile phone opens the Amazon product page directly in the Amazon app or mobile browser, allowing them to complete the purchase without leaving their couch.

+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                      YouTube Shopping Tag Formats                      |
+-------------------+-----------------+----------------------------------+
| Format            | Maximum Tags    | Key Display Feature              |
+-------------------+-----------------+----------------------------------+
| Long-form Videos  | Up to 30 tags   | Timestamps, shopping drawer,     |
|                   |                 | and on-screen TV QR codes        |
+-------------------+-----------------+----------------------------------+
| Shorts            | Recommended 1-2 | Bottom-left shopping badge       |
|                   |                 | over vertical video              |
+-------------------+-----------------+----------------------------------+
| Livestreams       | Up to 30 tags   | Pinned products in live chat     |
|                   |                 | and live product tray            |
+-------------------+-----------------+----------------------------------+

How to Tag Products in YouTube Studio

You can tag products while uploading fresh content or add them to your older, established videos. Here is the step-by-step process for an upload:

1. In YouTube Studio, begin uploading your video file.
2. In the Video elements step, locate the Tag products section and click Add.
3. Use the search bar to find the exact Amazon product you featured. You can search by product title, brand, or Amazon URL.
4. Select the matching product from the results list.
5. Drag and drop your selected products to arrange the order in which they appear to viewers.
6. (Optional for long-form) Add timestamps to synchronize the product card with the part of your video where the item is discussed.
7. Save your changes and finish publishing your upload.

Using Google AI Suggestions

YouTube includes automated suggestions powered by Google AI. The system reviews your video title, description, transcript, and visual frames to detect products shown in the video. When suggestions are available, they will appear under a "Suggested products" header in the tagging tool.

While this feature speeds up the tagging workflow, a good habit is to inspect every suggested tag before approving it. Automated visual scanners can easily confuse two similar models of camera, phone case, or beauty product. Confirm that the suggested Amazon listing matches the exact model, color, and regional variant you actually presented.

Updating Your Back Catalog for Regional Viewers

One of the fastest ways to generate earnings from a new regional rollout is auditing your existing video library. You do not need to wait for your next upload to begin earning.

YouTube data published alongside the regional launch revealed that more than 40 million logged-in users across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Algeria, and Morocco conducted shopping-related searches on the platform in June 2026. In addition, a survey conducted by Kantar found that 86% of surveyed viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE view YouTube creators as the most trusted source for shopping recommendations, while 84% in Saudi Arabia say creator videos help them make more confident purchasing decisions.

To capitalize on this existing demand across your older videos, follow this four-step audit:

Step 1: Identify Top Middle East Traffic

Go to YouTube Studio > Analytics > Audience > Top Geographies. Filter your views over the last 90 or 365 days. Look at your traffic numbers for Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt. Check which specific videos are getting steady, passive views from these countries.

Step 2: Filter for High-Intent Topics

Sort those videos by topic. The highest-converting categories for shopping affiliate programs typically include:

• In-depth product reviews and comparisons.
• Setup and workspace tours (cameras, lighting, microphones, desks).
• Skincare, makeup, and grooming routines.
• Cooking tutorials and kitchen gadget demonstrations.
• Fitness equipment and home gym overviews.

Step 3: Check Regional Amazon Availability

Before tagging an item, confirm that the product is actually stocked on regional Amazon storefronts (Amazon.ae for the UAE, Amazon.sa for Saudi Arabia, and Amazon.eg for Egypt). Tagging an item that is only available on Amazon US means Middle Eastern viewers will encounter steep import fees or out-of-stock notices, reducing the likelihood of a sale.

Step 4: Add Tags and Update End Screens

Open the video details in YouTube Studio, add the appropriate Amazon tags, and adjust the display order so the primary item appears first. If the video has an end screen, make sure your end screen elements do not overlap or block the shopping badge.

Payouts, Attribution, and Compliance

Understanding the business mechanics behind affiliate tagging prevents payment surprises and keeps your channel in good standing.

How Payouts Work

Unlike standard YouTube AdSense revenue (which is calculated from ad impressions and paid out monthly), YouTube Shopping affiliate earnings are determined by the retailer's individual commission rates. Amazon sets specific commission percentages by product category (such as electronics, apparel, or beauty).

Commissions do not clear instantly. Retailers maintain a return and cancellation window for consumer purchases. Because of this, affiliate earnings generally take between 60 and 120 days to reach your AdSense account. For example, earnings generated from product purchases during the November holiday shopping surge typically pay out between January and March of the following year.

Universal Shopping Tags and Cross-Border Traffic

YouTube Shopping uses universal tagging mechanics. If you are a creator based in Egypt or the UAE, and a viewer in the United States or Japan watches your video and buys a tagged product, you can still earn a commission from that international purchase through the affiliate system. Conversely, if you are a creator based in North America or Europe and your video gets views in Riyadh or Dubai, Middle Eastern viewers can click your tagged items and purchase them via their local Amazon portal.

Commercial Disclosures and Rules

When you tag products using YouTube Shopping, the platform automatically generates an on-screen shopping label. However, you must still comply with YouTube's commercial policies and local advertising regulations:

• If a brand paid you to feature the product, or gave it to you for free in exchange for a review, you must check the Paid promotion box in YouTube Studio's video details section.
• You must clearly mention any sponsorship or gifted material in your spoken audio, satisfying both YouTube policies and regional commercial disclosure rules.
• Product tags do not grant brands any advertising rights or ownership over your video. You remain in control of your content and the items you choose to feature.

Practical Checklist for Creators

Use this checklist when preparing to tag products in your upcoming uploads or back-catalog videos:

• Confirm your channel has at least 500 subscribers and active YouTube Partner Program access.
• Turn on the affiliate feature under YouTube Studio > Earn > Shopping.
• Verify that your featured products are available on regional storefronts like Amazon.ae, Amazon.sa, or Amazon.eg.
• Tag between 1 and 5 highly relevant items rather than cluttering the screen with unrelated products.
• Add specific timestamps in long-form videos to align product tags with your on-camera mentions.
• Manually verify any tags recommended by Google AI to avoid model or brand mismatches.
• Check the Paid promotion box if an item was gifted or sponsored.
• Allow 60 to 120 days for affiliate commissions to process through your linked AdSense account.

By treating product tags as a helpful reference for your viewers rather than an aggressive sales pitch, you create a seamless way for your audience to find the items you recommend while establishing a steady affiliate income stream on your channel.

Sources

Checked on November 3, 2026.

• wamda.com
• arabianbusiness.com
• entrepreneur.com
• arabnews.com
• industryevents.com
• google.com