From left to right: Content creator Camille Co, Vincent Lee, the country head of Shopee Philippines, Sapna Chadha, the vice president of Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier, Tyron Syling, the business development manager for e-commerce at Colgate Palmolive Philippines, and Mond Salem of Hardwage Voyage

Both Shopee merchants and video producers have exciting potential as a result of the Philippines' debut of the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program. Through this agreement, Shopee sellers can now reach a wider audience by working with an even more extensive network of content creators. This gives them the chance to reach a highly engaged, incremental audience and increase sales like never before. This smooth interaction between sellers and creators increases brand reach, speeds up product discovery, and eventually raises conversion rates. 

For eligible local creators, this partnership unlocks new business opportunities, enabling them to monetize their influence by promoting products to an audience they have already built connections with. As consumers in the Philippines increasingly seek engaging, content-driven shopping experiences, this collaboration meets their evolving expectations.

Taking advantage of the Philippines' growing creator economy and video commerce

With video commerce reaching 20% of the region's e-commerce gross merchandise value in 2024—a fourfold increase since 2022—Southeast Asia is one of the e-commerce markets with the quickest rate of growth in the world. With over 450 channels with over a million members and over 6,000 channels with over 100,000 subscribers, the Philippine creator economy is flourishing at the same time.

The transition from traditional discovery to a video-first purchasing experience is fueling this development, as customers seek out knowledge and enjoyment from online content produced by reliable artists. YouTube creators are trusted counsel for brands, in addition to being business owners and cultural influencers. A global study reveals that online users are 98% more likely to trust recommendations from YouTube creators than from other social platforms. This trust translates directly into purchase confidence. In fact, YouTube drives 3.8 times greater purchase intent than other social platforms on average.

This emphasizes viewers' demand for real product reviews and demos, which eventually leads to conversion, and their faith in creators' suggestions. This in-depth interaction with reliable YouTube producers highlights the platform's exceptional position to support consumers' desire for amusement that is driven by searches and videos to enhance their purchasing experiences.

Sapna Chadha, Vice President for Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier, said, “Southeast Asia is shaping the future of shopping with its powerful combination of a deeply engaged video-first audience, a profitable digital economy, and a vibrant creator community. We’re thrilled to bring YouTube Shopping to the Philippines, making Southeast Asia home to six out of nine countries globally that have it. Just seven months since our regional debut, we’re seeing strong traction across creators, sellers, and advertisers already. Building on this early momentum, YouTube Shopping will continue to grow, unlocking new opportunities for viewers, creators, brands, and partners across this dynamic region.”

Use the YouTube Shopping affiliate program for creators to increase your income.

Creators can pin products during live streams and tag them in both new and old videos using the YouTube Shopping affiliate program. The video's description and "Product" sections provide a quick overview of the entire list of tagged products and details about each one. For a smooth transaction, clicking on a product will take users straight to an external Shopee sales page. 

Now that YouTube Shopping is launched in the Philippines, creators like Camille Co are excited – she is already sharing her favorite makeup products by tagging them on her videos.

“I always get asked where I got this and that makeup or clothing, or home stuff on my vlog, and for a long time, it’s been challenging to share them all,” Co said. “Now with YouTube Shopping, it’s so much easier to share these products that I love and truly believe in. A huge plus also for me because I get to earn on the side while doing so!”

Mond Salem of Hardware Voyage, a Filipino tech channel, is also optimistic about the feature. “I’m so excited about YouTube Shopping finally being in the Philippines! I’m looking forward to my fellow creators earning more with featured product sale commissions,” he said.

Opportunities for companies and advertising to reach and engage

“This recognition reflects the strength of our network strategy and, more importantly, the partnerships we’ve built with our airport partners and stakeholders. It’s a meaningful reminder of our commitment to accessible air travel and expanding our presence across key regional markets,” said Xander Lao, CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer.

In 2024, the airline added 28 new routes, 19 local and 9 international, linking travelers to popular locations including as Chiang Mai, Kaohsiung, and Sapporo. In addition to its core hubs in Manila, Cebu, and Clark, new hubs in Davao and Iloilo have been constructed, improving connectivity.

“I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Cebu Pacific for its invaluable contribution to enhancing connectivity and tourism in Davao. As one of the leading airline carriers in the Philippines, Cebu Pacific has played a pivotal role in making Davao more accessible to both local and international travelers, significantly boosting the region’s economic and tourism landscape,” said Tanya Rabat-Tan, Regional Director of the Department of Tourism XI.