Best way to integrate affiliate links into Shorts without getting flagged as spam?

Great question! I've been doing affiliate for my Shorts channel (now 200k subs) for over a year. The key is to avoid putting the link directly in the video description or pinned comment as a raw URL—YouTube's algorithm can sometimes treat that as spam, especially if you're a smaller channel. What works for me is using a link-in-bio tool like Linktree or Beacons, and putting that single link in my bio. Then in the video, I say 'check my bio for the links' and use a simple on-screen text like 'Links below' with a small arrow. Also, always use a custom domain if possible—it looks more professional and avoids any URL shortener flags. For disclosure, I add a verbal 'this video contains affiliate links' at the start, and a written disclosure in the description (even if the link isn't there). This keeps you compliant with FTC and YouTube's policies. Test it on a few videos and monitor your CTR—my audience response has been great.

That's solid advice! I'll add that using the 'product' feature in YouTube Studio for Shorts is a game-changer if you're in the YouTube Partner Program. You can tag products directly in the video, and those links show up below the Shorts player without any extra effort. It's not available for all niches yet, but if you have access, it's way more trustworthy than a random link. Also, consider creating a dedicated 'affiliate highlights' playlist on your channel—that way, viewers who want to see more reviews can binge, and you can put the links in the description of those longer videos. For me, the conversion rate is higher when I do a 60-second 'honest review' vs a quick unboxing, because there's more context. And always be upfront—I say 'some of these are affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission at no cost to you' in a natural tone. It builds trust and actually increases clicks.

Hey everyone, thanks for the tips! I tried the link-in-bio approach and also checked if I have access to the product tagging feature—unfortunately, it's not available for my niche yet, but I'll keep an eye out. I also started adding a verbal disclosure at the beginning of my last few videos, and my retention actually went up slightly, which was a nice surprise. I've set up a custom Linktree with my top 5 products, and I'm seeing a 3% CTR from the bio link, which is better than I expected. I'll also try the playlist idea. Thanks again for the help—this community is awesome! Problem solved for now.