Turning YouTube Shorts Views into Merch Sales? My Click-Through Rate is Nearly Zero

You're right that Shorts are top-funnel, but the issue is likely that your CTA is too vague and the link is buried. Here are a few things that worked for me when I started selling presets through Shorts:

1. **Use the 'Pin comment' feature** – After posting a Short, immediately comment with a link to your merch (or a linktree) and pin it. The first comment is visible without tapping, and many viewers scroll to comments. I saw a 3x increase in CTR just from that.

2. **Create a dedicated landing page** – Instead of sending them to your channel homepage, create a simple link page (like Linktree or Carrd) that features your merch prominently. Make sure the link is in your bio and also in the 'About' section of your channel.

3. **Leverage YouTube Shopping** – Since you're eligible (if you have over 10k subs and are in the YPP), you can tag products directly in your Shorts. Go to YouTube Studio > Earn > Shopping, and set up your merch. Then, when editing a Short, you can add product tags. Viewers can tap to see the product without leaving the app. That removes friction and is more native.

4. **Add a verbal CTA in the first 3 seconds** – Even if you're faceless, you can use a text-to-speech voice (like the one in CapCut) to say 'Grab the product at the link in bio' at the very beginning. But make it value-first: 'If you want to stay focused, these notebooks are a game-changer.'

5. **Test different CTAs** – Try 'Link in bio' vs 'Tap the product tag' vs 'Check the pinned comment' and see which performs better. Use the analytics in YouTube Studio to track traffic sources.




That 0.02% is typical when there's no immediate incentive. You need to make the merch feel like a natural extension of the value you're providing. For example, if you're sharing a study tip, show the notebook in the shot and say 'This is the exact notebook I use' – even if it's not true, it creates a connection. Also, ensure your merch designs are aesthetically aligned with your video style – if your videos are minimal and clean, your merch should be too.

Thank you both for the detailed advice! I implemented the pinned comment and set up YouTube Shopping (took a while to get approved, but it was worth it). I also redesigned my landing page to feature the bestsellers. I tested a few Shorts with product tags and a verbal CTA in the first 3 seconds, and my click-through rate jumped from 0.02% to 0.8% – not huge, but it's a start. The pinned comment alone tripled my traffic. I'm now going to create a series of 'study with me' style Shorts where I naturally use the merch on camera. Thanks again for the help – problem solved!