Without content creators, what do social media sites have to offer?
Nothing. And they know it!
So, in an effort to keep their artists from jumping ship to other platforms, all of the top sites are constantly striving to keep you guys happy by improving your user experience.
A little competition is always good, yeah?
YouTube which is still the heavy hitter in the video space, doesn’t take their position for granted and continues to show their commitment to creators – this time by concentrating on channel display options to help maximize viewer engagement.
Ann Katrin Kuessner, a Product Manager at YouTube, who discussed the new sorting and display features that are on their way said that several of the changes were born from user feedback.
First thing YouTube is tackling is bringing back the “Sort by Oldest” option on the channel page – people were not happy it was nixed.
Though it may have seemed like YouTube got rid of it because they weren’t in tune with their base, there was actually a reason: the functionality was only supported in “mixed mode” i.e., when videos, live, and shorts were all in the same feed. With the intro of “chips” and “separated tabs” YouTube had to improve the infrastructure for it to work correctly. In the announcement Kuessner shared that not only will the “Sort by Oldest” option be reinstated, but the updates will allow for “more sorting and filtering options in the future.”
Second, Kuessner explained that YouTube will be making your work more “personalized to viewers.”
They are now building a section directly on your channel page where content will be recommended: “It will be personalized based on the channels they’ve already watched, topic affinity, and so on,” stated Kuessner. Third, YouTube has acknowledged that the channel pages are super confusing and complex, so they’ve embarked on a journey to simplify them. YouTube will be hiding tabs (like “Playlist”) that won’t show up until you decide to use them. In addition, the “About Tab” is going bye bye – everything will go under “Channel Information” – streamlining how the page looks.
Next up, YouTube will be installing “New Content Tabs” such as a “Releases,” “Podcasts,” and “Courses.” This means if you have songs, podcasts, or classes you want to feature they will be separated out via tabs so viewers can find them easier. And lastly, YouTube is going to “allow you to feature a link on your header” that you’ll be able to easily edit on both your desktop and mobile.
Get ready – all changes are expected to be launched by the end of the year!
Photo credit: iStock.com/hapabapa
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Alyssa Collins hails from Minnesota, where snowy days were the perfect excuse to stay warm inside and write. Over the years, she turned that joy into a career and has authored numerous articles for various publications (under pen names). Email Alyssa via alyssa@ynot.com.
