YouTube has announced that it will introduce integrated shopping ads that will enable viewers to jump directly from videos to retailers websites and buy the products featured in the clips, streamlining the purchase journey.

The video streaming service already lets advertisers show links to products within their own videos, but the new solution will let product ads be placed on any video on the site provided the clips owner opts in, monetising content like product reviews in a much more direct way.

The ad unit appears to be YouTubes answer to the buy button that is becoming increasingly popular on social media services such as Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest, providing consumers with a quick way to purchase items they are exposed to through the services.

Product reviews are a popular type of video on YouTube, with viewership jumping 40 per cent in the last year for product-related clips, and tens of thousands of reviews available for everything from the latest gadgets to frozen pizza.

Users who opt in to the new ad service, and who produce videos containing products that match YouTube ads, will have an icon displayed in the top right corner of their videos. Viewers can click on this icon to view images and prices of products featured in the video, with links taking them directly to retailers websites for more information and the option to buy.

“Over the course of the year, weve been working hard to make videos more interactive, shortening the distance between the time a viewer sees an ad and their actual purchase,” said a YouTube spokesperson in a news release.