How to promote an app on YouTube with creators

YouTube defines branded content as any content influenced by a brand partner in exchange for something of value, such as featuring or promoting a brand’s products or services in exchange for payment, free products or sponsorships, whether the benefit comes now or later. The policy applies wherever the branded content appears: videos, video descriptions, comments, live streams and Shorts. So a free subscription for a review, a paid integration and a sponsored link in the description are all covered. YouTube also says the policy applies to the whole video, not only the sponsored segment.

The creator declares branded content in YouTube Studio by checking “My video contains paid promotion like a product placement, sponsorship, or endorsement”, or by tapping Yes under Paid promotion in the mobile apps. YouTube then shows a disclosure at the start of the video, though it says the creator is ultimately responsible for making the disclosure clear and prominent. If YouTube’s systems detect branded content that was not disclosed, it may apply the label automatically and notify the creator. Videos that are not disclosed or break the policy may be removed, and violations can affect the channel and its YouTube Partner Program eligibility, so the disclosure belongs in your brief.

Some goods and services may not be promoted in branded content at all; YouTube’s examples include hacking software and an academic essay-writing service. Others are restricted: YouTube names alcohol, financial services, healthcare and medicines, gambling, and elections and political content, and says the creator is responsible for confirming that brand partners are certified by Google as necessary and for using age and country restrictions where the law requires them. After checking the paid promotion box, the creator can limit the countries where the video is shown, set an overall minimum age and set a minimum age per country. For finance, health and real-money game apps, check the certification question before you contact creators. The store rules for the same categories are in our guides to marketing finance, fitness and game apps.

YouTube says videos with branded content are removed from the YouTube Kids app, so a sponsored video will not reach children there; for apps used by children, see how to market a kids app. Ads still run on the video if the creator is in the YouTube Partner Program and follows the advertiser-friendly guidelines, and YouTube may avoid showing an ad from a competitor of the sponsor. One thing is not allowed: YouTube’s ads policies do not let creators burn in advertiser-created and supplied video ads, such as pre-rolls, mid-rolls and post-rolls. A sponsored segment the creator makes is branded content; a finished ad from you inserted into the video is not.

A creator video sends people to your store page or your website, so the listing has to do its part: see the ASO checklist. For codes to give creators, see how to promote an iOS app and how to promote an app on Google Play, and for TikTok, how to promote an app on TikTok. Censuus ranks apps by the real visit traffic they draw on the web, so visits your website gets from YouTube count. Adding your app is free on the submit page, and sponsorship raises placement and adds a followed link to your website, see the sponsor page. We do not promise installs or store rankings, and this guide is not legal advice.