In this article 10 sections
Black Friday is Friday 27 November. Cyber Monday follows on Monday 30 November, and Christmas shopping runs straight on from there. If you're a UK creator in YouTube Shopping, or thinking of joining, now is a great time to get your tags in order.
Here's what to sort, in plain words.
The short answer
- Check you can tag products, and do it this week, not on the day.
- Read YouTube's tagging guidelines. They decide which tags stay up.
- Plan a few gift guide, haul or review videos where products are genuinely featured.
- Add tags to older videos that already show products.
- Label paid promotion where it applies, and keep your Shopping links on YouTube.
What tagging is
YouTube Shopping lets eligible creators tag products in their videos, Shorts and live streams. On long videos, viewers see a Shopping button. On Shorts, a product sticker shows the first product in your list. If a viewer taps through and buys on the retailer's site, you may earn commission. The retailer handles the order, delivery and returns.
You tag products in YouTube Studio. On a video's Details page, go to the description and click Products, then search for what you want to tag. You can tag up to 60 products on one video.
YouTube's page on tagging products in your content has the full steps.
Gift guide videos: how to keep your tags
Gift guides are the obvious Christmas video. They're also where tags most often go wrong, because it's tempting to tag everything on the table.
YouTube's guidelines say a product you tag should be:
- Easy to identify and featured prominently. Say its name out loud, or put it on screen, in the title or in the description.
- Meaningfully related to your video. Showing, using or reviewing it counts. A product that helps with what you're doing, like headphones in a phone review, can count too.
- Shown clearly. Avoid quick, blurred or half-hidden shots.
- Used as intended. Use it the way the maker meant.
Spam tagging, or tagging lots of unrelated products, can get tags removed. YouTube says repeated problems could cost a channel its access to the Shopping affiliate programme. So keep the list to what you actually show and talk about.
A simple test: if a viewer couldn't tell from your video why a product is tagged, leave it out.
The checklist: seven things before the sales
- Check you can join. If you're not in YouTube Shopping yet, look at Earn in YouTube Studio, or ask us. YouTube decides who is accepted, so start early.
- Read the tagging guidelines. A few minutes now can save you removed tags later.
- Pick products you'd really recommend. Things you use, show or review. It keeps your recommendations honest, and that's why viewers listen.
- Plan your sales videos. Gift guides, hauls, reviews and unboxings are natural places to tag products in November and December.
- Don't forget older videos. You can add tags to videos you've already published, from Content in YouTube Studio. A review from the spring can still help a Christmas shopper.
- Use timestamps on long videos. On videos of a minute or more, timestamps show each product at the moment you talk about it. On Shorts, choose which product shows as the sticker by reordering your list.
- Label and keep links on YouTube. More on this below.
Amazon is now in the mix
Eligible UK creators can tag Amazon products in videos, Shorts and live streams. Amazon has its own requirements: YouTube asks for membership of the YouTube Partner Programme, and you need an active Amazon Influencer or Amazon Associates account linked to your channel. Anyone who linked before September 2024 has to link again, and only one channel per Amazon account can tag Amazon products.
YouTube lists the full requirements on its Amazon tagging page. If you want Amazon products in your gift guides, check them and link your account now rather than in sale week. Our post on Amazon and YouTube Shopping UK has the steps.
Labels and links
Three rules to keep straight during the sales.
- Paid promotion. If a video includes a paid product placement, sponsorship or endorsement, tick YouTube's paid promotion box in your video details. If you tag products as part of an affiliate campaign you've joined in Studio, tick it too.
- UK ad rules. You're responsible for following the ASA and CMA rules, so make it clear when something is an ad. Our guide to UK influencer ad disclosure rules explains what that means in practice.
- Keep Shopping links on YouTube. Don't paste your Shopping affiliate links on other sites or apps. YouTube's programme page says sharing them outside YouTube can lead to action on your channel.
And as always, clear your own music and footage. On Shorts with a product sticker, YouTube needs an eligible Shopping sound, or no sound.
When the money arrives
Commission is paid by YouTube through AdSense, generally 60 to 120 days after the purchase. The wait allows for returns, and if a customer sends something back, the commission on it is reversed. So Black Friday commission won't land straight away. Each retailer sets its own commission rate, and you can see it next to each product before you tag.
We can't promise what you'll earn. That depends on your videos, your viewers and the products you choose.
How Ritual helps
YouTube selected Ritual Network as one of two UK launch partners for YouTube Shopping. Applying through us is open to creators of any size, and we're happy to help you get ready.
- Free to join, with no minimum posting and no minimum commitment. You can stop any time.
- You keep 100% of your Shopping commission, with nothing deducted. YouTube pays you directly.
- It's non-exclusive and covers YouTube Shopping only. You keep full creative control.
- We never need your channel password or login. You fill in YouTube's own form and tag products in your own channel.
New to Shopping? Start with our guide to who can join YouTube Shopping UK, or see our YouTube Shopping UK page.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black Friday 2026?
Friday 27 November 2026. Cyber Monday is Monday 30 November.
Can I add product tags to old videos?
Yes. In YouTube Studio, open Content, choose the video, then add products from the description on its Details page.
How many products can I tag in a gift guide?
Up to 60 per video. Only tag products you clearly show or mention, or YouTube may remove the tags.
Can I tag Amazon products in the UK?
Eligible UK creators can, with an Amazon Influencer or Associates account linked to their channel. YouTube's Amazon tagging page lists the full requirements.
Do I need to label Shopping videos as ads?
Tick YouTube's paid promotion box for paid placements, sponsorships, endorsements and affiliate campaign tags, and follow the ASA and CMA rules. If you're unsure, our disclosure guide covers the basics. This isn't legal advice.
When will I get paid for Black Friday sales?
YouTube pays commission through AdSense, generally 60 to 120 days after the purchase, and reverses it if the item is returned. We can't promise payment dates.
Ready before the rush?
If you think you're eligible and want a hand, email us.
Email team@ritualnetwork.com with the subject "YouTube Shopping" and your channel link
YouTube decides who is accepted. We'll be straight with you about what we can and can't do.
