YouTube will terminate your account if you post links to amazon as an affiliate...

by 73 replies
106
I have seen more than 2 threads here complaining that their YouTube account got banned because of posting amazon reviews.

People are unable to find out why their account got banned. Some people think that it is because of the copyrighted images used in the video. Some think it is the music.

We have done multiple tests on this and one thing stands clear...

No matter how good your product review is, if you post your amazon affiliate link in the description, your YouTube account will be banned. Even shortened or cloaked links will get you account banned.

This is especially true for new accounts. Old established accounts may have a few links and there will not be a problem, but still there is risk.

If you want to use YouTube to drive traffic to amazon, only option is to send traffic to a landing page and then send it to amazon. You can also build an email list in the process if you are ready to invest. You can follow up with offers in the same category.
#social media #account #affiliate #amazon #links #post #terminate #youtube
  • Why are you surprised to find this out?

    YouTube wasn't created for affiliates to spam 'review' videos. Nor was it created for marketers to use as a free source of bandwidth for other types of promotional video spam.

    -Chris
    • [ 9 ] Thanks
    • [2] replies
    • I am not surprised. I just know.

      Earlier YT allowed it and now they don't. Because too many people started posting spammy videos.

      I have seen more than 2 WSOs preaching to post reviews to youtube to get traffic to amazon aff. links and make sales.
      • [ 2 ] Thanks
    • chris is 100% CORRECT!

      it was only just a matter of time.

      Even though review videos do work, and work very well, we know who owns youtube dont we? and we know what they think of us marketers. LOL
  • Would it be allowed to send traffic to a landing page, that then automatically redirects the visitor to Amazon, or any other page?
    • [2] replies
    • A redirect script is really easy for the SE's to detect. Since Youtube is owned by Google, I would think they would pick up on the redirect really quickly. You're better off sending them to a web page then on to Amazon from there. If you don't want to have to buy a domain name and get hosting, etc., set up a simple one page Blogger blog or a Weebly page. They're free and stupid simple to set up. Do a quick review of the product(s) you're promoting with an affilate link to the amazon page.
      • [1] reply
    • People are still doing it on daily basis, but since they have their radars turned ON,so its better to avoid such tactics and save your account from banning.
      • [1] reply
  • Hi yes, if you spam videos with amazon links your accounts will get suspended.

    however i have a youtube acount with over 200 videos that has amazon links and has not been suspended ( 7 months now)

    its all in the quality of the videos.. even using PLR videos can get you suspended

    even if you use landing pages, your accounts can get suspended if the videos are of poor spammy quality..

    -Brandon
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Agree 100%. I don't do product reviews, but like with my nail art hobby or my experience with dentures, I do the videos to help other people. I also make sure to mention for example that 'You can get your [product] locally or you can get them on Amazon. For full disclosure, the links in the description are affiliate links because I'm an Amazon associate, but you don't have to buy them through Amazon. You can get them at [CVS, Sallys, etc.]'

      I've not had one problem with posting affiliate links as long as I disclose them and as long as my video isn't specifically just for promoting the link.

      What they DO frown on is using something like Pretty Link in an in-video linked annotation to redirect people to an affiliate link from your Associated Website domain name. That's a big No No!


  • YouTube was set up as a "community" to socialize and share information like Facebook and not intended to be for marketing purpose.

    Nevertheless, it is a great source for driving traffic to your web site with squeeze page to capture leads.
  • Can you code the links with adf.ly or tinyURL?
    • [1] reply
  • Not a huge shock, really. I'm surprised it's lasted this long. There's SO MANY awful amazon product review videos (err...slideshows).
    • [1] reply
    • Hah! Ain't that the truth!!
  • Maybe it's another way for Google, owners of Youtube, to crack down on hit and run marketing. Is there anything in Youtube's TOS prohibiting aff links in the description? If there is, there should be no question about getting the boot.
  • just try to promote with YT and I look this thread, made me know the truth...
  • Well first off it is against Amazons own TOS to link directly from Youtube to Amazon so all those doing it, if they have not been banned from Youtube yet if Amazon fines out you will have your Amazon account terminated also.

    You need to direct them to your website first and then get them to click through to Amazon.

    There is nothing wrong with putting a product review on Youtube if it provides value and information on a specific product in fact there and tens of thousands of excellent review videos on youtube.

    The problem comes when it is purely an advert which Youtube does not like and I have seem many linking through to Amazon which is a big red light to YouTube.

    Youtube is a fantastic traffic source but you need to be very careful especially if you are linking directly through to Amazon using a cloak or directly.

    Kickin it on Amazon

    Gaz Cooper
    Amz Training Academy
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
    • [2] replies
    • its sound reasonable and good way to not going banned by YT ....I agree with you
    • Where did you hear that?

      A Warrior was recently told by Amazon that links from YouTube are allowed.

      When a YT account is banned, don't they usually tell you via email the reason why, even if it's only a vauge reason?

      I think the most likely reason is that videos have been flagged by users. When a channel has a certain number of flagged videos then it gets banned. I've seen plenty of YT videos recently with amazon links in the description so it doesn't seem like it's an automated system doing it or those videos wouldn't be there.
  • Thanks bro for sharing your results crystal clear.. It shows Youtube is fighting spam and affiliate videos like never before.

    The best way I can think of monetizing Youtube video traffic is sending them to some form of "content pages" that can take the visitor to the next step of the video watching..
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Here's what I do...I create a web page that has:

    1. My Youtube video embedded

    2. Amazon and/or Ebay ads

    3. Relevant article from EZA

    4. Sometimes email subscribe form, depending on the niche

    I add a link to this page in the Youtube description.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • People never seem to learn.

    Any business that you try and build on a platform that is beyond your control is gonna get shut down at some point.
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
  • Banned
    Looks like May is the popular month to bring threads back from tonight .
    • [1] reply
    • Maybe so, but with all the other "[fill in the blank] hates marketers/will ban you" threads, it's still/again relevant.

      And people still want to whine and complain that "gurus don't want to share their secrets."

      Did they ever think that just maybe the two are related?

      From newsgroups and free-for-all pages to link exchanges and doorway pages to review videos, bum marketing and exact match domains, every time something that works gets too popular someone will pee in the pool and ruin it trying to cheat the system.

      Over the years, I've heard the same kind of complaints from folks working in social welfare departments and law enforcement. If people put half the energy into doing things right that they put into gaming the system, they'd be way ahead of the game.
  • Many people are just spamming YT. There is no doubt that using a landing page is the best option and also building a list along the way.
  • I got a question.
    Will they ban you if the affiliate link is inside the video?
  • I know I'm a bit late on this thread but I've just taken a look at the Youtube TOS. Long winded though it may be, is the following section appropriate?

    You agree not to use the Service for any of the following commercial uses unless you obtain YouTube's prior written approval:
    • the sale of access to the Service;
    • the sale of advertising, sponsorships, or promotions placed on or within the Service or Content; or
    • the sale of advertising, sponsorships, or promotions on any page of an ad-enabled blog or website containing Content delivered via the Service, unless other material not obtained from YouTube appears on the same page and is of sufficient value to be the basis for such sales.
    Am I correct in thinking that you need Youtube's written consent to use their videos on your sites if you are selling something? eg Amazon products, your own or affiliate products, Unless you have other non Youtube content on the site that they deem OK.


    Could this be the reason accounts are banned?
    • [2] replies
    • This is one reason why I recommended above that people add an article from EZA (or original content) on pages they link to from Youtube descriptions.
      • [ 2 ] Thanks
      • [1] reply
    • Are you talking about embedding a YouTube video on your site? If so, I don't think that is related to banning in anyway because anyone can embed a video unless the video uploader has disabled the embed feature, but most people don't disable that.
  • You can always try some workarounds, but you will risk getting banned, so I don't think it is worth it. Back in the day, YouTube didn't have this rule at all and even if the videos are still online, they won't ban them, so that's why you see some videos with millions of views linking to Amazon which are still around.

    If you are just starting, the only "legal" way is to do honest reviews and link them to your website. You don't need a landing page, you can create an Amazon store and people won't even have to go to their website until they checkout, so that should improve your conversion.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Are you sure they've got this rule now? I've seen videos recently that were uploaded just 4 days ago that link to Amazon. If this rule is in place then it must be automated because it isn't plausible for YT to manually review videos.
  • YouTube will ban your account for sure if you direct link it to an Amazon page.

    I have tested this extensively, good reviews, just images (copyright or not), music, w/o music, etc....

    This is what I found out: You can have the most crappy video in the world - YouTube will keep it.

    If you have the best video in the world. Even if it was created by Hollywood Filmmakers -- if you link it directly to Amazon, you will be BANNED.

    I had about 5 test accounts banned trying to see how far I can push YouTube.

    Now I don't know about a created Amazon store (never created one), but if you send the link in your description to a landing page, you will be fine
    • [ 2 ] Thanks
  • Also, you can't use direct Amazon link with Yahoo Answer!
  • Thanks for sharing. If anyone read the terms and condition while uploading a video in Youtube then i believe they would not face this type of problem. It is clearly stated over there.
    • [1] reply
    • I am also wondering if we can create a page on our site that has an amazon
      store and use that page link for our youtube videos.

      The page would not really have any content, except from the iframe used for the amazon store.

      I know you can choose specific products to use in your amazon store. So why not choose the one you feature in your video an other related products.

      Has anyone tried this?.

      Interesting hearing who has and they experience.

      Sabrina

  • Don't know about affiliate links.
    But you can put a clickable link in the video "description" that is right below the video box.
    Some of the links go directly to the Amazon product page for an ebook, etc.
    • [1] reply
    • Don't link directly to Amazon, and make sure you post USEFUL, QUALITY, videos.

      Google is all about quality these days, and this goes for video too.

      If you post a crappy animoto video, with a few bad pics of a lawn mower, with some cheesy bg music, and link it directly to Amazon... chances are

      a) very few views
      b) no conversions
      c) lots of dislikes and bad comments

      If you post a quality review, linking back to your quality affiliate site, you'll get

      a) lots of views
      b) conversions
      c) lots of likes and good comments

      Now, which one do you think youtube is more likely to ban.

      I've tons of quality reviews up, as do hundreds of my clients, and none of them have had any trouble.

      Just give google, and the viewer what they want, and you'll be grand.
  • Not sure why YouTube does that but i can think probably it's because they do not want to get their selfs sued due to copyright laws ... probably redirecting the link to another website and from there getting to amazon will do the trick ..
    • [1] reply
    • What copyright laws are you talking about? Why would linking to a site be breaching any copyright law?
    • [DELETED]
  • I made my own home made video for a product on Amazon, but made the mistake of putting the amazon affiliate link in the description section and of course, I got shut down by YT. Bummer I didn't see this thread first, huh? I ended up losing a YT account that had about 3 year's worth of videos on it and had a PR of 5. Now I have to start all over again...
  • It may fall under this category of YT's community guidelines. If your review is honest, well-presented, and well-thought out I can see how you could slide by this, as you really are providing something to the community -- you just have a money bias.

    Meaning no, you cannot place your aff link on your video or video description. However you can send them to a page that then redirects them to purchase the product but only if the page consists of more content than just your video.
  • Simply direct them to a landing page/optin page/article etc and then redirect them to Amazon product. There is no problem with that.

    Cheers!
    • [1] reply
    • Yes there is actually. I've always linked to my site, but i've had plenty of videos deleted. Mine aren't just 35 sec animoto videos either with pictures and cheesy bg music.
  • Actually,they are plugins and services which creat youtube videos FOR YOU,it is not better then spam.
  • Quote from YouTube terms:

    ". . . the sale of advertising . . ."

    I don't see how this affects putting YOUR link in the video description. You didn't SELL that link.
    • [1] reply
    • TOS are always written in legalese, which is generally filled with horrendous grammar and circular speaking. "The sale of advertising" is probably referring to selling ads on your video, like if I asked you to put a link to my website in your video for $10.
  • [DELETED]
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • since google owned youtube they started to act like shit with affiliates, i don't know where are they going with their hate to affliates .indeed affiliates were the first reason why google reach where it is now .

    peace

    Bassem
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • where does the policy stand on this now (April 15, 2013)?
  • Yep pretty much common sense, I have NEVER had an account terminated but then again I dont put Amazon links in the description although I see many that do and then wonder why their accounts get zapped

    Kickin it on Amazon

    Gaz Cooper
    Amz Training Academy
  • What if it is your own book though?
    Not an affiliate link, but a link to your actual book.
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • That guy making 1000$ a day in Pinterest, was putting direct links to Amazon till Pinterest find out ... Amazon did not ban his account.
  • Create a high quality video, like those from adorama that talks about a product, in their case, it is cameras. Do NOT make it spammy. Have high production values and speakers that are very familiar with the English language - no out sourcing.

    Output your video in 1080p or more. Have a set and use multiple cameras. Also remember to use a good video editing software program. For example, use sony vegas. There are so many.

    Do not link to amazon. That is a given. However, do link to a high quality web site - your own.

    Expect to see a steady trickle of traffic, but no flood, and approx seven percent conversion.
    • [1] reply
    • Hm, I can't say I'm an outlier or anything but I have a few videos from years ago that have redirected amazon links and they still make me tiny trickles of $$ each month.

      I heard about this youtube/amazon termination thing and it was clear that amazon was alright with the traffic but now I'm curious about the youtube aspect.

      Perhaps I'm just lucky not have been shut down? Not sure what to think of this now lol

      **My videos are me on camera reviewing/ranting about a product so I don't know if that counts as "quality" but my video comments are always funny/grateful for my review. I also don't try to artificially inflate my stats or backlink to my amazon videos. Maybe that has something to do with it??
      • [1] reply
  • Good to know I was actually about to do this before I saw your post, guess I have to come up with something else now
    • [1] reply
    • Does this apply to Clickbank links as well?
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • If you want to use YouTube to drive traffic to your affiliate offers then IMO the best and safest way is to create useful tutorial videos that teach marketing strategies and techniques (or whatever your niche is in- doesn't have to be marketing) and only link to your blog. I'm not talking about a 1 or 2 page Blogger blog or something similar, either. I'm talking about linking to a blog that has plenty of good content and is not overloaded with affiliate links.

    I have successfully been doing this on YouTube with the same account for over 5 years. I have never had an account deleted or suspended. In fact, this is the only YouTube account I have ever had. I have close to 300 live videos and get lots of traffic to my blog from them.

    The videos I make discuss helpful techniques like how to generate traffic, how to write articles, how to set up a domain, how to set up a self-hosted blog, how to set up an email account in CPanel, how to take screen shots, how to make screen capture vids, etc, etc. Also, I make sure the videos are at least 5 minutes long. I do not use link URL shorteners or cloakers or redirects of any kind. I link directly to the home page of the blog.

    My whole way of thinking on this stems from the fact that Google is all about providing a quality user experience when it comes to it's search results. Since Google owns YouTube, it stands to reason that the same policy would apply to their videos as well. A 1 minute review video of an Amazon or Clickbank product really doesn't provide much value to the user, and so I wouldn't be surprised if you have an account loaded with those types of videos and one day you try to log in only to find out it's been deleted.

    The primary goal I hope to achieve with my YouTube videos is obviously to drive traffic to my blog in hopes that from there I can get the visitor onto my list. Once that happens then I'm free to market affiliate offers to them in my follow up series.

    That doesn't mean that you should not put awesome content on your blog, however. It's an added plus if the user likes your content and decides to sign up to your feed as well. If that happens they will also get your new blog posts delivered right to their inbox.

    I think some people have forgotten just how powerful having a popular blog can be. In theory, if you have lots of people opt-in to receive your blog posts delivered to their inbox, you don't even need to have an autoresponder. You can set up a feed using Feedburner and then place the opt-in form they provide in your sidebar and you could build up a nice little following like that. That's a subject for a different thread, however.

    The point is that I have found out over the past 5 years as an Internet Marketer that taking shortcuts or providing poor or duplicate content in any form will not get you anywhere and will usually just cause you problems. Just take the time to create useful content and don't try to drop your affiliate links all over the place and you will have a much easier go of things.

    I don't really know of any place that allows you to direct link to affiliate offers really. You cannot do it in article directories or forums for the most part, so why would people think it is OK to do on YouTube?
  • Yeah you can't have affiliate links in description anymore my old account got terminated also.
  • All affiliate links are strictly forbidden on youtube.
  • I'm assuming that all of the information here regarding Amazon affiliate links would apply to eBay affiliate links, or any other affiliate for that matter?
  • I haven't had a problem, you videos must have been pretty spammy
    • [1] reply
    • Most affiliate marketers are very lazy.. they prefer to DL instead of creating LP to capture leads..then market later
  • Banned
    You can easily make much more money with YouTube directly, by being a YouTube partner,
    and not using spammy links to any affiliate offers
Join the discussion

Next Topics on Trending Feed