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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:
- Select Settings
On the Branding sub-tab, go to the Instance Settings panel, then find the YouTube Channel section
- Enter your YouTube channel handle
- 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.
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.
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.
What creators need to do in YouTube
For YouTube campaign reporting to work, creators need to complete two steps:
- Link their YouTube Video or Short to the correct campaign in YouTube using the Campaign Code
- 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.
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.
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.
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.