YouTube has published its latest “Culture and Trends” report, which this time around looks at shopping in the app, and how the platform is becoming a bigger hub for both product discovery and purchase, with a particular focus on creator-originated products.
Based on analysis of the platform’s top 5,000 most-purchased products from the first half of 2025, as well as the top 1,000 videos by transactions on tagged items, the report looks at how YouTube is becoming a more significant part of the shopping process, and how creators can use this to broaden their monetization opportunities.
As explained by YouTube:
“Through formats like unboxings, hauls, and reviews, creators have long fostered shared shopping experiences on YouTube. In YouTube’s new ‘shoppable’ era, these shared interactions have been transformed into a tangible reality. Today, viewers can easily browse and purchase products created or recommended by creators, reshaping the long-standing relationship between creators and their fans.”
The report looks at how YouTube creators are driving product demand, and helping to boost interest in products in the app:
Indeed, the popularity of online influencers is helping to guide shopping behaviors, which has now provided all-new pathways for creators and brands to boost product awareness.
The report also looks at the value of communities in this respect, and how YouTube communities can help to boost product interest.
“Many of these communities, like SneakerTube and BookTube, are ‘shoppable’ in that they are formed around a shared passion for a specific product category, and members of the community produce videos often focused on those products. These iterations around the same commodities effectively create a ‘cinematic universe’ for products. A survey of the 1,000 top-transacted products frequently surfaced products, like yarns for crochet, filters for aquariums, and thermometers for grilling enthusiasts, reflective of communities of creators, shaping trends and purchasing decisions, on-and-offline.”
In other words, the most influential YouTube communities are also influential in regards to the products that they recommend, because people are coming to them looking to learn about the best approaches, often through educational content. As such, it stands to reason that any products that these groups recommend will also resonate within these communities, which is a worthy note for marketers.
How can you reach out to relevant influencers in these groups and get them to consider your product? That could be a valuable question to explore for your strategy.
The report also looks at “the language of conversion” in the app, and the common terms that communities use in relation to product-related discussions.
The report also includes a summary listing of key lessons based on YouTube’s research, which highlights how marketers can tap into the power of the platform to boost their outreach efforts.
Some handy notes, which could help you maximize your YouTube marketing approach, and get your products in front of the right people in the app.
You can download YouTube’s full shopping ecosystem report here.
