How to promote an app on YouTube with creators
A sponsored segment in a creator’s video or Short is a common way to show an app to the right audience, and YouTube sets the rules for it in its branded content policies. They decide what the creator must declare, which kinds of apps need extra certification or age and country limits, and what happens to the video once it is marked as a paid promotion. This guide covers those rules, quoted from YouTube’s Help Center as it read on 27 September 2026, with TikTok’s rules alongside for comparison.
YouTube and TikTok creator rules side by side
From YouTube’s Branded Content Policies and TikTok’s Branded Content Policy effective 31 August 2026.
| YouTube | TikTok | |
|---|---|---|
| What counts | content influenced by a brand partner in exchange for payment, free products or sponsorships, now or later | content promoting a third-party brand for payment or any other incentive, including gifts, affiliate links and promo codes |
| Disclosure | paid promotion checkbox in YouTube Studio; label at the start of the video | commercial content disclosure toggle; automatic branded content label |
| Sensitive categories | restricted, e.g. financial services, healthcare and medicines, gambling; brand partners certified by Google as necessary | restricted or prohibited by category, often country by country |
| Age and country limits | set by the creator in YouTube Studio | applied by TikTok for restricted categories |
| Undisclosed content | may be labelled automatically and the creator notified | may be removed or restricted |
What counts as branded content on YouTube
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.
Disclosure: the paid promotion checkbox
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.
Check your app’s category first
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.
What changes once the video is marked
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.
After the video: where people land
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 visits they draw and by sponsorship on the web, so visits your website gets from YouTube count. Adding your app is free on the List my app form, 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.
Frequently asked questions
Does a YouTuber have to disclose a sponsored video about my app?
Yes. YouTube requires creators to declare branded content with the paid promotion checkbox in YouTube Studio, which adds a disclosure at the start of the video. Free products and sponsorships count, not only payment.
Will a sponsored video about my kids app appear on YouTube Kids?
No. YouTube says videos with branded content are removed from the YouTube Kids app.
Can I give a YouTuber a finished ad to insert into their video?
No. YouTube’s ads policies do not allow creators to burn in advertiser-created and supplied video ads such as pre-rolls, mid-rolls or post-rolls. The creator can make their own sponsored segment and disclose it.
Can a finance app sponsor YouTube creators?
Financial services are a restricted category. The creator is responsible for confirming the brand partner is certified by Google as necessary and for applying the age and country restrictions the law requires.
Guides for app developers
- How to promote an app on TikTok with creators
- How to market a mobile game: the store rules that shape it
- How to market a kids app: the store rules that shape it
- How to market a finance app: the store rules to know first
- How to market a fitness app: what Apple and Google let you claim
- How to market an app: a stage-by-stage plan
No time to film it yourself?
We make short videos for apps end to end: hooks, editing and posting to TikTok, Reels and Shorts.
How it worksPut your app in the ranking
Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw and by sponsorship, no bots. Listing is free; sponsorship raises placement.