Link your branded content to an advertiser

If you’ve partnered with an advertiser on a branded content campaign, the advertiser can now send a request to link content from the campaign to their Google Ads account. If you accept their request, advertisers can view the content’s performance metrics in Google Ads. YouTube will also allow the advertiser (and any entities linked to the advertiser’s Google Ads account) to target ads to viewers of your YouTube video, as permitted through Google Ads platforms.

Linking your branded content to your advertiser can help you:

• Manage partnerships with brands
• Share organic video metrics
• Increase the likelihood that advertisers will promote your content

Most link requests will come from advertisers that you’ve worked with in the past, but you may get requests from brands you haven’t partnered with. Accepting an advertiser’s link request, whether you’ve worked with them or not, is entirely up to you. You should always do what’s best for your channel.

If you accept their request, remember that you'll need to grant sufficient rights to the advertiser so that they can use your video in their advertising, and that YouTube is not involved in that agreement. Make sure you understand the terms of any agreement you sign with an advertiser.

Accept a link request

When an advertiser wants to link your content to their Google Ads account, we’ll notify you via email and notifications in YouTube and YouTube Studio. You can review and respond to requests in YouTube Studio, the YouTube Studio mobile app, and in the YouTube mobile app.

If you select the link in your email, you’ll be taken directly to the “Brand link request” page where you can link your video or decline the request.

You can also review and respond to requests in YouTube Studio:

1. On a computer, go to YouTube Studio.
2. In the left menu, click Content .
3. Find the relevant video and next to the video’s thumbnail, click Details .
4. In the “Brand linking” section, next to the advertiser, click REVIEW LINK REQUEST.
5. Choose whether you want to link your video or decline the request.

Unlink your content

You or the advertiser can unlink a linked video at any time. To unlink a video from an advertiser, navigate to the “Brand linking” section for your video and select UNLINK  next to the advertiser.

FAQs

How long do linking requests last?

While video link requests do not expire after a certain amount of time, the advertiser can revoke a pending link request. You can also unlink the video at any time. Unlinking your content will remove the advertiser’s:

• Access to the content’s performance metrics
• Ability to target ads to viewers of the linked content

Additionally, if the requested video is deleted or marked as private, the linking request will expire.

If an advertiser already uses my videos in their advertising do I need to link my branded content to their Google Ads account?

Advertisers aren’t required to link their account to your content to run ads, but we  recommend linking your branded content to their account. Linking helps you manage your brand partnerships more efficiently and lets the advertiser view the organic performance of the video. Additionally, you can limit access to your channel’s content by only linking an individual video.