YouTube is removing the 'hover to subscribe' function from video watermarks on desktop. Marketers and creators must immediately stop using verbal or graphical calls-to-action that direct viewers to that corner of the screen. Watermarks designed as 'subscribe' buttons should also be replaced.
For channels without massive viewership, testing titles and thumbnails simultaneously creates too many variables for statistically relevant results. A YouTube liaison advises testing wildly different concepts for either the title *or* the thumbnail, but not both at once, to get clear, actionable data.
While designed for collaborating with other creators, the new 'collaborator' tagging feature is a powerful tool for growing your own portfolio of channels. By tagging your second channel on a video from your primary one, you can effectively funnel your existing audience to a new project.
The 'Courses' feature isn't just for educators. Brands can use its enhanced structure, which includes quizzes and a dedicated tab, to create comprehensive product tutorials or video FAQs. This can streamline customer onboarding and decrease the volume of support tickets by answering common questions proactively.
The feature allowing creators to switch a public livestream to members-only has a hidden benefit: evergreen conversions. Viewers who watch the public replay later can be enticed by the exclusive content they missed, creating a powerful incentive for them to join the membership long after the live event has ended.
YouTube's new 'responses with new replies' filter addresses a major workflow challenge for channel managers. Previously, it was difficult to track conversations after an initial reply. This new filter isolates these follow-up comments, allowing for faster and more thorough community engagement without manually searching.