YouTube is testing a new feature that could help brands and creators engage with viewers with minimal disruption.
YouTube will enable linking on individual words or phrases in the comments section for the first time.
The links will direct viewers to a YouTube search results page while continuing to play the video they were originally watching.
Why we care Viewers are more likely to follow a link if their streaming experience is not interrupted. This means marketers can have a better chance of reaching more people and engaging more effectively with potential customers.
But. While this could be a good thing, some marketers worry that driving people away from videos could do more harm than good. Searching from comments could lead viewers to a YouTube search results page that then takes them directly to rival brands and competing videos.
How it works. The pilot, which will roll out over the coming weeks, will work as follows:
Single phrases or words in the comments section that encourage exploration will be hyperlinked. Clicking a link will launch a new search on YouTube with that term, and users will navigate to the search results page. To avoid interruptions, the video will continue to play in the Miniplayer. YouTube determines linked words based on what users are likely to want to explore further. Links cannot be added or modified by the creator, although creators can remove links from their video comments if they wish. Viewers will be able to opt out of the experiment if they prefer their comments not to be hyperlinked.
What did YouTube say? YouTube posted a video through its Creator Insider channel to announce the pilot:
“We’re experimenting with a new way to explore topics and recommendations in comments. “Currently, if a viewer wants to learn more about a topic or product they find in a comment, they have to move away from the video they’re watching to get learn more.” We’re experimenting with new hyperlinked keywords in comments to reduce friction for viewers looking to discover new and relevant content on the platform. “We’ll be experimenting with this over the next few weeks, but we’d love your feedback whether you’re in the experiment or not.”
Other news The comment section hyperlink isn’t the only news YouTube has confirmed this week. The social media platform also made three more announcements:
Visibility on tablets: While creators could previously create posts on tablets, those posts weren’t visible on tablets to creators and their viewers. YouTube recognized that this has been a top feature request for many creators and viewers, so it’s now giving visibility to all users of Android tablets and iPads. This means that posts can now reach viewers who primarily use YouTube on tablets.
Reminders for live broadcasts and premieres: Currently, YouTube viewers can set reminders for upcoming live broadcasts or premieres by clicking the “Notify Me” button to receive email and push notifications of when that live broadcast or premiere starts. Now, a new metric is being added to YouTube Analytics that will show creators how many reminders have been set for an upcoming live stream or premiere. You can find the reminder set metric in the YouTube Analytics Deep Dive.
Channel member management: Eligible creators can now set up and manage channel subscriptions and other fan funding offers through Studio Mobile. Previously, it was only available on desktop. Also, members-only videos are not published on the content tabs of the channel page, member home channels, subscription channels. Members-only videos will now appear on member homepages and subscription channels, and on your channel page.
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Important reminder. YouTube advises accepting the new YPP program terms in Studio if you are currently on YPP and have not already done so.
If the terms are not accepted by July 10, sellers will be removed from the YouTube Partner Program and their content will no longer be eligible for monetization on the platform. Any previously monetized content will no longer accrue revenue as of July 11, and all monetization features will be disabled, including but not limited to channel subscriptions, SuperChat, and similar features.
To see if you’ve already accepted the terms or if you still need to take action, follow these steps:
Go to Studio > Settings > Chords. Here, if you see Show agreement for the basic terms you agreed to earlier, you’re all set. If you see Review and accept, that means you still have to accept.
Deep dive: For more information about changes to the terms of the YouTube Partner Program, you can read YouTube’s terms full ad in the YouTube Help Center.
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