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    Working on YouTube Campaigns in Later Influence

    Shashank Rao
    • Updated

    In this Article:

    This article explains how YouTube campaigns work in Later Influence, including how to set a brand YouTube channel, add YouTube deliverables, require creators to connect YouTube, and share the YouTube Campaign Code with creators.

    YouTube campaign setup requirements

    You can run campaigns with YouTube Videos and YouTube Shorts as deliverables in Later Influence.

    For campaigns with YouTube deliverables, Later Influence can report campaign activity to YouTube as the campaign progresses. This helps YouTube recognize the relationship between your brand, the creator, and the YouTube content created for the campaign.

    To use YouTube campaign reporting, your campaign needs:

    • A valid brand YouTube channel
    • At least one YouTube Video or YouTube Short deliverable
    • Creators who connect their YouTube channel when applying
    • A YouTube Campaign Code shared with confirmed creators
    • The creator’s published YouTube URL submitted to the campaign

    Set your brand YouTube channel

    You can add a YouTube channel at the instance level so it applies as the default for campaigns in that instance.

    This is useful if your brand usually runs campaigns from the same YouTube channel.

    To add a YouTube channel at the instance level:

    1. Select Settings

    2. On the Branding sub-tab, go to the Instance Settings panel, then find the YouTube Channel section

    3. Enter your YouTube channel handle
    4. Save your changes

    Later validates the channel with YouTube. If the channel is valid, the confirmed channel name and channel ID are shown. If the channel can’t be validated, you’ll see an inline error.

    Tip: Instance-level YouTube channel setup is optional unless you’re running campaigns with YouTube deliverables. Adding it ahead of time can reduce setup steps later.

    Override the YouTube channel for a campaign

    If you manage campaigns for multiple brands or channels, you can override the default YouTube channel at the campaign level.

    When creating or editing a campaign, the YouTube Channel field is pre-filled with the instance-level channel if one has been set. You can replace it with a different channel for that campaign if necessary. 

    Note: Later validates the campaign-level channel before accepting it. If the campaign includes YouTube deliverables and no YouTube channel is set, Later prompts you to add one.

    Add YouTube deliverables to a campaign

    YouTube Videos and YouTube Shorts can be added as campaign deliverables.

    When you add a YouTube deliverable, Later uses the campaign’s YouTube channel to support YouTube campaign reporting. 

    If the campaign doesn’t have a YouTube channel yet, you’ll be prompted to add one. You may see this prompt during Campaign Setup or when adding content from Workflow. This helps ensure the campaign is configured correctly, even if YouTube content is added after the campaign has already started.

    How YouTube affects campaign applications

    When a campaign includes YouTube deliverables, YouTube is automatically required as a connected channel for creators applying to the campaign. This means creators must connect their YouTube channel before they can submit their application. 

    If they’ve already connected YouTube, they can continue without reconnecting unless their connection needs to be refreshed. This requirement helps ensure that creators are ready to complete YouTube deliverables and that their content can be connected to the campaign.

    Share the YouTube Campaign Code with creators

    After a creator is confirmed for a YouTube campaign, YouTube returns a Campaign Code for the campaign.

    Creators need this code when publishing their YouTube Video or Short in YouTube Studio. The Campaign Code tells YouTube that the video is part of your paid campaign.

    In Later Influence, the Campaign Code is displayed with a copy option so you can quickly share it with creators. You can also add the YouTube Campaign Code merge tag to email templates so the code is included automatically in creator communications.

    Tip: Include the Campaign Code in any creator instructions for YouTube deliverables. This helps creators add it before publishing and reduces follow-up later.

    What creators need to do in YouTube

    For YouTube campaign reporting to work, creators need to complete two steps:

    1. Link their YouTube Video or Short to the correct campaign in YouTube using the Campaign Code
    2. Submit the published YouTube URL in Later Social

    The Campaign Code helps YouTube identify the video as part of the correct campaign. Creators can add the Campaign Code while publishing their video, or they may be able to add it after posting by editing the video details in YouTube.

    Tip: Include the Campaign Code and linking instructions in your creator communications. You can also use the YouTube Campaign Code merge tag in email templates so the code is automatically included in campaign emails.

    If a creator submits a YouTube URL but reporting isn’t available, ask them to confirm that they linked the video to the correct campaign in YouTube using the Campaign Code. Submitting the URL in Later Social alone doesn’t complete the YouTube linking step.

    Share brand partner access for paid media

    If the brand plans to promote a creator’s YouTube Video or Short through Google Ads, the creator must also share brand partner access to the video.

    Brand partner access is separate from linking the video with the YouTube Campaign Code. The Campaign Code connects the content to the Later Influence campaign for reporting, while brand partner access connects the individual video to the brand’s Google Ads account so the brand can view eligible performance data and use the video in paid media.

    After uploading the sponsored video, the creator can share access from the video’s settings in the YouTube Studio or YouTube mobile app:

    1. Open the sponsored video’s details
    2. Go to Paid promotion & brands
    3. Under Brand partnerships, select Share access with a code
    4. Select Share access code
    5. Copy the unique access link and send it to the brand

    The brand must open the link to connect the video to its Google Ads account.

    Important: YouTube currently limits creator-generated access codes to creators in the YouTube Partner Program. If the creator can’t see the option to share an access code, the brand may need to request brand partner access directly through Google Ads instead.
    Tip: Ask creators to send the access link after their video has been uploaded. Completing only the Campaign Code and URL submission steps does not give the brand permission to use the video in paid media.

    How YouTube campaign reporting works

    YouTube campaign reporting works across three levels:

    Campaign

    When a campaign includes a YouTube Video or YouTube Short deliverable, Later reports that YouTube campaign to YouTube.

    Creator participation

    When a creator confirms participation in a campaign with YouTube deliverables, Later reports that creator relationship to YouTube.

    If the creator is dropped, completed, or reactivated, Later updates the creator’s deal status with YouTube.

    Video content

    When a creator submits a YouTube video URL in Later Social, or when the brand self-reports the YouTube URL on the creator’s behalf, Later reports that specific video to YouTube as part of the campaign.

    For reporting to work, the creator must also add the Campaign Code in YouTube Studio.

    YouTube campaign metrics

    For active linked YouTube videos, Later can refresh YouTube performance metrics using first-party YouTube data. Metrics are refreshed daily for active YouTube BrandConnect videos. If one video can’t be refreshed, the remaining videos can still be processed.

    The reporting table shows the latest available snapshot for each video, not a daily historical record.

    Important: YouTube reporting only runs for active linked videos. Videos that are still pending or declined are skipped because YouTube doesn’t have insights available for them.

    Add YouTube content on behalf of a creator

    If needed, brands can self-report YouTube content on behalf of a creator by adding the published YouTube URL to the campaign.

    This tells Later which YouTube video belongs to the creator’s campaign deliverable. The creator still needs to add the Campaign Code in YouTube Studio so the video can be fully linked for reporting.

    Troubleshooting

    A creator submitted their YouTube URL, but reporting isn’t available

    Ask the creator to confirm that they linked the video to the correct campaign in YouTube using the Campaign Code.

    A YouTube video needs to be both submitted in Later Social and linked in YouTube. If the creator only submitted the URL, YouTube may not recognize the video as part of the campaign yet.

    A creator linked the wrong YouTube campaign

    Ask the creator to remove the incorrect campaign link in YouTube, then relink the video using the correct Campaign Code from Later Social.

    After they relink the video, confirm that the YouTube URL submitted in Later Social matches the correct campaign deliverable.

    Limitations and availability

    • A valid YouTube channel is required for campaigns with YouTube deliverables.
    • YouTube is automatically required as a connected creator channel when a campaign includes YouTube deliverables.
    • Creators must submit their YouTube URL in Later Social, or the brand must self-report the URL on their behalf.
    • Creators must add the Campaign Code in YouTube Studio for the video to be fully linked.
    • YouTube binding hashtags and automatic YouTube content binding are not currently available.
    • Creator- and brand-facing YouTube link status indicators, such as Pending, Active, and Declined, are not currently available in the campaign UI.
    • Email notifications for creators when YouTube deliverables are added mid-campaign are not currently available.
    • Incentive information is not sent to YouTube.
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