YouTube Shopping: How to Get Started on Your Shopify Store

Last week, YouTube and Shopify announced a new partnership which will enable Shopify merchants to feature their products across their YouTube channels and content, giving customers the freedom to shop while they watch. 

As explained by YouTube:

“Creators who link their stores can display their products across their channel and benefit from Shopify’s real-time inventory syncing so that viewers are never disappointed to find a product out of stock. And, for a more seamless shopping experience, creators in the US can enable onsite checkout so that viewers can complete their purchases without leaving YouTube.”

So what does this integration mean for your Shopify store?

You’ll be able to display your products in the following ways:

1. Live shopping experiences: You can ​​tag and pin products at key points during a live stream, creating more engaging, watch-to-shop experiences. Also, the picture-in-picture playback means your customers can watch while they checkout. 
2. Product lists: You will be able to create a list of products in a product shelf below on-demand videos. 
3. Store tabs: A new tab will be added to your YouTube channel, featuring your entire list of products. And, because the integration automatically syncs with your catalogue, your product names, images, pricing and inventory will always be up to date.

To qualify for these options, you will need at least 1,000 YouTube subscribers, and you must comply with other requirements around content and channel strikes. However, if you meet the criteria, this new integration is a fantastic way to get your products in front of YouTube’s two billion monthly logged-in users, while also helping expand your omnichannel offering. 

Don’t have Shopify? Get in touch with our team of ecommerce experts today and find out how you can make the move. 

How to get started with YouTube Shopping on Shopify?

1. Install the Google Channel in the Shopify app store
2. Next, in the YouTube Shopping section of the Google channel, connect your YouTube account
3. Choose which products you want to feature on YouTube Shopping
4. Finally, ​​add products to your videos from Monetisation > Shopping.

What are the best practices for selling on YouTube?

• New product launches: Early testing has shown that customers are more excited about shopping from brands when they have a new product available, so consider planning your YouTube Shopping strategy around new product launches, discounts and sales promotions. 
• Utilise product scarcity: Create a sense of urgency and FOMO by featuring videos that include limited stock items. 
• Use strong CTAs: Make it clear where YouTube viewers can find your products, whilst empowering them to make that all-important purchase.  
• Valuable content only: Avoid producing content that is sales-focused, instead make it relevant, relatable and interesting so that your audience will want to watch your videos naturally and won’t feel like they’re being sold to. 
• Get creative: Think of innovative ways to incorporate your products into video content. This way, you will build products into the story and culture of your YouTube channel. 

Your Shopify experts

If you’re interested in finding out more about Shopify’s new YouTube integration or need help creating a successful YouTube Shopping strategy, reach out to our team, we’d be happy to help.