What to promote on YouTube Shorts is a question every affiliate asks after watching short videos rack up tens of thousands of views with no ad budget. Shorts is conditionally free traffic: you pay with time spent on videos rather than money for clicks. But links in Shorts aren't clickable, YouTube's moderation is strict, and some verticals simply don't survive here. Below we cover the 5 verticals that suit Shorts, the video formats that work, how to build the path from a video to the offer and the YouTube rules you need to know before you start.
In short: what to promote on YouTube Shorts
- Five verticals that suit the format: e-commerce, education and info products, fintech, mainstream dating and iGaming — the last only in legal GEOs and with approved brands.
- Links in Shorts descriptions and comments aren't clickable since August 31, 2023. Traffic goes through the channel header link, the related video and Telegram.
- Videos with real value work best: product demos, before-and-after results, top 3 lists, personal stories, mistake breakdowns, calculations on screen.
- Nutra with medical claims, loans with "guaranteed approval" and "money-making schemes" don't last on YouTube — easier to skip them.
- One video tells you nothing: a test needs 10–20 videos on one topic with different hooks.
Why YouTube Shorts is a working traffic source
According to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Shorts average 200 billion views a day. Three features of the format matter for affiliates:
- Reach doesn't depend on subscribers. Shorts shows videos to people who don't follow you, so a new channel can get views from its first uploads.
- Videos live longer than on TikTok. Shorts are indexed in YouTube and Google search, and a good video can bring traffic for weeks.
- There's a bridge to long videos. You can link a Short to your own long video with a detailed breakdown and links — the second step of the funnel.
If you're just starting out, get the basics first in our guide to traffic arbitrage for beginners. And for making money on Shorts without arbitrage — monetization and the YouTube Partner Program — see our guide on how to make money on YouTube Shorts.
How traffic flows from Shorts to the offer
The key feature of Shorts is that you can't just "drop a link." Since August 31, 2023, links in Shorts descriptions and comments are not clickable. So the viewer's path looks like this:
How traffic flows from Shorts to the offer (chart labels in Russian)
- The video hooks in the first 2 seconds and gives a reason to visit the profile: "full list in my profile," "breakdown in the related video."
- The channel profile is where links work. The primary link appears right above the Subscribe button.
- The related video is a clickable link under your handle in the Short itself. It can only point to your own YouTube video, but that's a long video where you can go into detail.
- Warm-up in Telegram — a channel or bot where you can share links, answer questions and nudge people toward the target action. We covered this kind of funnel in our article on moving traffic to Telegram.
- The offer — a sign-up, lead or purchase. Track conversions in a tracker, otherwise you won't know which video makes money. If you don't have one yet, see Keitaro vs Binom.
One more detail: links opened from the YouTube mobile app load in the built-in browser. Your landing or pre-landing page has to load fast and work without signing in anywhere. How to build a pre-lander that lifts conversion — in our article on pre-landing pages.
How to choose a vertical for Shorts
Before picking an offer, check it against four questions:
- Is the audience broad? Shorts is a mass format. Niche B2B offers get fewer views than topics "everyone" cares about.
- Can you show the value on camera? Topics where the result is visible in 20–40 seconds work best: a product in hand, a skill, a calculation.
- Does the video comply with YouTube's rules? If the topic only works with promises of "guaranteed income" or "cures," the channel won't last.
- Where does monetization happen? The offer should convert outside YouTube — on a website, in Telegram or in an app.
5 verticals for affiliate marketing on YouTube Shorts (chart labels in Russian)
5 verticals for affiliate marketing on YouTube Shorts
1. E-commerce and marketplace products
The most "natural" vertical for Shorts: products look good on camera, and a review format doesn't feel like an ad. Gadgets, home and kitchen goods, car accessories, skincare and cosmetics without medical claims all fit.
- What to film: unboxing and a first test "hands only," "cheap vs expensive" comparisons, lists like "5 kitchen items under $20."
- Where to send traffic: to a product roundup in Telegram, your own storefront site or a product offer from a CPA network. In some countries you can use YouTube Shopping with affiliate product tags.
- Why it works: product videos live long in search — people look for reviews before they buy.
- Risk: reviews of counterfeits of known brands and exaggerated results. Show the real product and the real result.
2. Education and info products
Courses, AI skills, languages, freelancing, remote work. The vertical's strength is that the value is already in the video: viewers get a small win and want more.
- What to film: "3 prompts that save an hour of work," "the English phrase everyone gets wrong," "how I found my first freelance client."
- Where to send traffic: through the related video to a long lesson, and from there to a webinar, a free module or a lead form.
- Why it works: educational videos get saved and shared, and YouTube has a long format for this kind of content — the perfect second step.
- Risk: promises like "make $5,000 a month after the course." Talk about the skill, not guaranteed income.
3. Fintech: cards, cashback, apps
Money interests everyone, so finance topics get broad reach. It's also the most sensitive vertical: YouTube watches financial promises closely.
- What to film: comparing cards by cashback, "how I stopped overpaying for international transfers," a budgeting app breakdown with numbers on screen.
- Where to send traffic: to bank card, fintech app and service offers with a clear benefit — via a pre-lander with an honest comparison.
- Why it works: the "let's calculate on screen" format holds attention and builds trust.
- Risk: "no credit check" loans with guaranteed approval, investments with promised returns, "passive income." That's a fast track to removed videos and lost audience trust.
4. Dating
Mainstream dating works well as stories and advice. But YouTube is much stricter than TikTok about explicit content, so adult offers don't work here.
- What to film: "3 mistakes in your first message," "how we met on an app and then met in another country," breaking down a chat that went wrong.
- Where to send traffic: to mainstream dating offers (SOI/DOI, app installs) via a pre-lander with tips.
- Why it works: relationships trigger emotions and comments, and comments help distribution.
- Risk: explicit footage, sexual hints, fake profiles. The video gets removed and the channel gets a warning.
5. iGaming: betting and gambling
The most lucrative and the strictest vertical. Since March 19, 2025, YouTube bans verbal mentions, logos and links for gambling services that aren't approved by Google. Gambling videos are shown only to signed-in viewers aged 18+, and videos promising "guaranteed winnings" are removed even for approved brands.
- Where it's possible: only in GEOs where online betting is legal, and only with brands that hold a license and Google approval in that country.
- What to film: match analysis and odds breakdowns, responsible gambling, explaining betting rules — without promises of winning.
- Where to send traffic: to a Telegram channel with tips and analysis, where you can work with an 18+ audience. We covered this funnel in our article on gambling traffic from Telegram, and the risks of free traffic from Shorts and Reels in gambling traffic from YouTube Shorts and Reels.
- Risk: the highest. An unapproved brand on screen or in your voiceover means a removed video and a warning on the channel. Choose an affiliate program with licenses for your GEOs — see our affiliate program ranking.
What not to promote on Shorts
- Nutra with medical claims. "Lose weight in 7 days," "fix your joints" — this breaks YouTube's medical misinformation rules.
- Loans with "guaranteed approval" and financial products with promised returns.
- "Money-making schemes" and pyramids — videos get removed, and the audience quickly stops trusting the channel.
- Adult offers — explicit content is banned on YouTube.
Video formats people watch to the end
On Shorts, viewers decide in 1–2 seconds whether to watch or swipe. So the format matters as much as the offer.
Shorts formats people watch to the end (chart labels in Russian)
- Hands on camera. Unboxing and testing a product without showing your face — quick to shoot, easy to turn into a series.
- Before and after. Result first, path second. Viewers watch to the end to see how it happened.
- Top 3. A list with the winner revealed at the end holds attention to the last second.
- Story time. A first-person story with a takeaway — for dating and betting analysis.
- Mistake breakdown. A "don't do this" hook holds better than praise and works in any vertical.
- Numbers on screen. A calculation or comparison with specific figures instead of vague claims — especially in fintech.
For creatives — where to find ideas and how to test them — see our article on creatives for affiliate marketing, and for hooks and retention see how to get views on TikTok and Reels: the same rules apply to Shorts.
YouTube rules to know before you start
YouTube rules to know before you start (chart labels in Russian)
- Links in Shorts aren't clickable (since 31.08.2023). Working spots for links are the channel header and the related video.
- Gambling (rules since 19.03.2025): no mentions, logos or links for services not approved by Google; such videos are 18+ only.
- Promises of guaranteed income or winnings are grounds for removal.
- Medical misinformation — promises to cure or to lose weight fast break the rules.
- Paid promotion — if a video is an ad, turn on the paid promotion label in YouTube Studio.
- Reuploading other people's videos without your own transformation isn't monetized and gets less distribution.
How to launch Shorts for an offer: step by step
Checklist: launching Shorts for an offer (chart labels in Russian)
- Pick a vertical and GEO. The offer must be allowed both in the audience's country and on YouTube.
- Set up the channel around the topic. A name with a keyword, a clear avatar, a description and a profile link — before the first video.
- Shoot 10–20 videos for the test. Post 1–3 a day on one topic with different hooks. One video won't tell you anything.
- Build the funnel. The header link goes to Telegram or a pre-lander, and from there to the offer. Use a long video as the related video for your best Shorts. How to grow that channel — in our guide on how to grow a Telegram channel from zero.
- Watch the metrics. YouTube Studio shows "viewed vs swiped away" for Shorts, average view duration and profile visits. In your tracker — clicks and conversions per video.
- Scale what works. Turn a winning hook into a series, make several versions of your best video and copy the working funnel to a second channel.
Common mistakes
- A link in the Shorts description. It isn't clickable — the viewer simply never reaches the offer.
- Pitching the offer head-on. Ads get swiped in a second. Value first, then a reason to visit the profile.
- Too few videos. 2–3 videos isn't a test. Both the algorithm and you need a sample.
- No tracking. Without UTM tags and a tracker you can't tell which video drives conversions.
- Ignoring YouTube's rules. One strike means channel restrictions, three mean removal. Funnels built on violations don't last.
Fresh funnels, free-traffic breakdowns and platform rule updates in our Telegram channel.
FAQ
What can you promote on YouTube Shorts?
E-commerce, education and info products, fintech, mainstream dating and iGaming work best — the last only in legal GEOs and with brands approved by Google.
Can you put a link in YouTube Shorts?
Not in the description or comments — they've been non-clickable since August 31, 2023. The channel header link and the related video under your handle in the Short itself do work.
Can you promote gambling on YouTube Shorts?
Only within the rules: since March 19, 2025, YouTube bans mentions of and links to gambling services not approved by Google, and such videos are only shown to viewers aged 18+. In practice it's only possible in legal GEOs with licensed brands.
How many videos do you need for a test?
10–20 videos on one topic with different hooks. With 2–3 videos you can't tell what works — the offer, the topic or the delivery.
Is Shorts better than TikTok for affiliate marketing?
Videos live longer in YouTube and Google search, you can link them to your own long video, and the audience is older on average. The downside is stricter moderation and no clickable links in the video itself.
Sources: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan's statement on 200 billion daily Shorts views (Cannes Lions), YouTube Help on links in Shorts and gambling content policies, reporting by Tubefilter and Influencer Marketing Hub. YouTube's rules change — check the current help pages.
