YouTube is one of the best places to promote software. Videos rank in both YouTube and Google search, they keep getting views for years, and software is easy to show on screen. A single good tutorial can send affiliate signups long after you publish it.
This guide is about promoting SaaS affiliate links specifically: tools with monthly subscriptions, free trials and recurring commissions. The tactics are different from promoting a $20 product on Amazon.
Where to put affiliate links on YouTube
The video description. This is the main spot. Put your most important link in the first two lines, above the "...more" cut, so it is visible without expanding the description. Write a short reason to click: "Try Notion free with my link: [link]" works better than a bare URL.
The pinned comment. Pin a comment with the link and one sentence of context. Many viewers read comments before the description.
Say it in the video. "The link is in the description" is obvious to you, not to viewers. Mention it at the moment they want the tool, usually right after you show the result, not only at the end.
YouTube Shorts. Links in Shorts descriptions and comments are not clickable. Use Shorts to drive people to a long-form video, where your links do work. You can attach a related video to each Short for exactly this.
Your channel links. Add your best-performing affiliate link, or a simple page listing the tools you use, to your channel header links.
Video formats that convert best for software
1. Tutorials: "How to do X with [tool]". The viewer already uses or is about to use the tool. They watch you solve their exact problem, then click your link to start. This is the highest-intent format.
2. Comparisons: "[Tool A] vs [Tool B]". People searching comparisons are close to buying. Be fair: show where each tool wins. An honest "pick A if you need this, B if you need that" builds more trust than declaring a winner, and both links can earn.
3. Honest reviews: "Is [tool] worth it in 2026?". Show the pricing page, the free plan limits and what you actually use. Mention the downsides. Viewers trust reviews that admit flaws.
4. Workflow videos: "My exact stack for [job]". Show the tools you use together to run a business, edit videos or manage clients. One video can promote three to five affiliate programs naturally.
5. Alternatives: "Best alternatives to [popular tool]". People searching for alternatives are unhappy with what they have and ready to switch.
Choose the right programs for a YouTube audience
- Recurring commissions first. YouTube views compound over time, so your referrals should too. Browse recurring programs.
- A long cookie. Viewers often watch, leave and sign up days later. A 60 or 90-day cookie protects your commission; see long-cookie programs.
- A free trial or free plan. "Try it free" is a much easier click than "buy now".
- A tool you can actually show. Visual products with a clear before-and-after make better videos.
The affiliate programs for YouTubers page lists programs whose founders say they work well with video creators.
Get your videos found
- Title for search, not just for clicks. Use the words people type: "how to", the tool name, "vs", "review", "tutorial".
- Answer the question in the first 30 seconds. Retention tells YouTube your video is useful.
- Add chapters. Timestamps help viewers jump to what they need and can show up in Google results.
- Target small, specific searches first. "How to automate invoices in [tool]" is easier to rank for than "best productivity apps".
Disclose your affiliate links
Say clearly that you earn a commission, both in the description ("Some links are affiliate links; I earn a commission at no extra cost to you") and briefly in the video. This is required in many countries, including under FTC rules in the US. If a company paid you directly to make the video, YouTube also requires you to tick the paid promotion box.
Honest disclosure does not hurt conversions. Viewers expect it, and it signals you have nothing to hide.
Mistakes that cost YouTube affiliates money
- Links buried at the bottom of the description. Nobody scrolls that far.
- Promoting a tool you have only used for a day. Viewers can tell, and comments will call it out.
- One video per tool, then moving on. Your best-performing tool deserves a tutorial, a comparison and a review.
- Ignoring the program terms. Some programs forbid link shorteners, coupon claims or promising discounts you cannot offer.
Next step
Start with the tools you already use on camera. Check whether they have an affiliate program on AffiDex, compare commission and cookie duration, then make one tutorial this week. For the bigger picture, read our SaaS affiliate marketing guide.