YouTube already makes money through ads, YouTube premiums (getting rid of so-called ads) and subscriptions to specific channels. It looks like the company is preparing to add general purchasing functionality to the list as per the new notification.
Bloomberg reports that YouTube is asking producers to tag and track the products featured in their videos, which will be linked to Google’s analytics and shopping tools. The ultimate goal is that Google can sell items through YouTube, rather than just advertising items from other sites. A YouTube spokesperson confirmed that the company is testing the functionality with a handful of channels, but declined to share further details.
The implementation of this feature will largely be based on Google Shopping, which is already strictly integrated with search. Google Shopping is an integrated storefront for thousands of retail stores, large and small, including Best Buy, Target, Costco and Overstock. However, it didn’t fully dominate – Walmart came out in 2019, and several other big stores are missing from the list. However, Deep Nintendo integration with YouTube (and the sales that may come with it) may encourage more stores to sign up.
