I've poked around the new channel design and I see one very positive trait: You can pass on a URL to have people watch your video within your own "Private Theater". What I mean here is prior to this release (pre-release) if you sent out a URL to watch a video the viewer could only watch it inside the normal "shared" area of YouTube. The "Related Videos" section (aka your competition) were always just a click away.
Now you can have a captive audience... if they are watching within your new channel, they are more likely to stay around and watch more of your stuff rather than your competition's stuff.
Mark Robertson
· 5 months ago
Oh, very good point. I hadn't thought of that.
Libby
· 5 months ago
You spelled "ridiculous" wrong. And it's not that we want to get rid of the channels for the people who like them, we just want the option of keeping the classic channels we have now. And to VideoLeads: I liked jumping from video to video in the "Related Videos" section. It helped me find some of my favorite youtubers.
VideoLeads
· 5 months ago
VideoLeads here... I also think "Related Videos" are cool, but I know for many they can become a distraction (maybe even me at times!).
My point was as a Marketer using YouTube it is useful to be able to control the environment in which my customers view my stuff. I've found other issues I don't like in the new vs. old design, but I was pointing out one useful component for those of us that use YouTube as a form of (free) marketing.
If you want something else to groan about, how about the fact that it seems like we can no longer add a "live link" (URL) to the descriptive text in the channels. We used to be able to add http://www.... links in the description/about us area but now they don't work anymore...could be a bug they will work on or it could be on purpose!
Mark Robertson
· 5 months ago
VideoLeads - Totally agreed.. ;-)
I wonder about the "live" linking within the channel. Would be interested in knowing if that is a bug but I agree that it could be a move on purpose. This will be interesting to watch as they move close to launching. Who knows, perhaps they will change it such that users will have a choice to keep older channels, though somehow I doubt that.
vidiseo
· 5 months ago
Looks like it was a bug, because I'm still able to click through the links in my video descriptions on my channel.
I thought for a second that YouTube was going to disable live linking in the description in order to increase the use of their CTA overlays (and use of their promoted videos product).
Mark Robertson
· 5 months ago
Haa - oops.. Well, I am a horiblee speler
I think that what I meant in particular about the video - is how horrible of a video it is. The video itself is a bad production, music is over dramatic, and there is actually little bit in the way of a video at all. Its like a crappy slide show with awful music.
I do not necessarily have a problem with the fact that folks want a choice. I completely understand that and think that it may be a good thing for YouTube to consider. That being said, perhaps Youtube should begin to offer a choice, but charge a fee. Do you think users would be willing to pay a fee? Ultimately, Youtube has the right to enhance it's platform in a way that works best for the majority of its users and in a way that helps monetize their efforts more fully. If they feel that this is a better solution, it is up to them.
If enough folks find the change a problem, they always have the option to leave and try other solutions, or pay for video platforms that allow them to create their own custom channels for online video. I think that it is pretty fair to say that we know that wont happen, right Libby?
It is difficult to complain too much when things are FREE. That is why we always say that there are both good and bad things about depending on Free services like YouTube...
videoleads
· 5 months ago
A Little more poking around (on YouTube's blog on this topic) leads me to believe that the linking thing is currently a bug they are working on making work again. So this and a few other bugs still are part of the current release. Seems odd to me that new users/accounts are currently required to use something that is this buggy, but I'm not privy to their entire development process.
As a person that would like to have a clickable link out to my own website from within my YouTube Channel, I am looking forward to this working in ver 2 of channels on YouTube.
The official line is they cannot support both the new and old channel design, so based on that, I think they will really turn off the old design once they make the decision that the new design is "ready". BTW, I'm not sure what percentage of folks actually use their channels anyway. I think it is mainly the medium & hardcore YouTubers that do... others may not even really know they can change it or that it exists outside of being a "weird name" (YouTube's name) for their "account".
guest
· 5 months ago
not exactly happy with the beta channel - It's not a friendly design at all - a design "for a chosen few"??? unfortunately, I believe so...
vidiSEO
· 5 months ago
I understand YouTube will be providing grief counselors for those struggling with the loss of their old channel.
I myself am going to be holding a memorial service for my old channel.
vidiseo
· 5 months ago
Looks like YouTube is pushing back the new channel launch from July 15th to an undetermined date some time this summer.
I made the switch about a week ago, and I don't understand all the negative feedback. Most of the people I see complaining have pretty hideous channels to begin with, so I don't see the attachment to the old design.
For those looking to test the waters with the new design, I'd like to share a tutorial I put together that walks you through the editing steps:
I just don't like the new design because it totally covers my background image. And for some reason when I tried to switch over, it changed all the colours of my layout and my featured video to ones that I put there months ago and changed already. And I wish the profile information was on top of the video screen. It's sort of ugly and wide and if I try to click "see all" for videos/favourites/playlists, it loads forever and doesn't work. But other than that, I like the idea of not having to leave the page. If the "see all" button worked for me, that would be helpful.
All Comments
Now you can have a captive audience... if they are watching within your new channel, they are more likely to stay around and watch more of your stuff rather than your competition's stuff.
And it's not that we want to get rid of the channels for the people who like them, we just want the option of keeping the classic channels we have now.
And to VideoLeads: I liked jumping from video to video in the "Related Videos" section. It helped me find some of my favorite youtubers.
My point was as a Marketer using YouTube it is useful to be able to control the environment in which my customers view my stuff. I've found other issues I don't like in the new vs. old design, but I was pointing out one useful component for those of us that use YouTube as a form of (free) marketing.
If you want something else to groan about, how about the fact that it seems like we can no longer add a "live link" (URL) to the descriptive text in the channels. We used to be able to add http://www.... links in the description/about us area but now they don't work anymore...could be a bug they will work on or it could be on purpose!
I wonder about the "live" linking within the channel. Would be interested in knowing if that is a bug but I agree that it could be a move on purpose. This will be interesting to watch as they move close to launching. Who knows, perhaps they will change it such that users will have a choice to keep older channels, though somehow I doubt that.
I thought for a second that YouTube was going to disable live linking in the description in order to increase the use of their CTA overlays (and use of their promoted videos product).
I think that what I meant in particular about the video - is how horrible of a video it is. The video itself is a bad production, music is over dramatic, and there is actually little bit in the way of a video at all. Its like a crappy slide show with awful music.
I do not necessarily have a problem with the fact that folks want a choice. I completely understand that and think that it may be a good thing for YouTube to consider. That being said, perhaps Youtube should begin to offer a choice, but charge a fee. Do you think users would be willing to pay a fee? Ultimately, Youtube has the right to enhance it's platform in a way that works best for the majority of its users and in a way that helps monetize their efforts more fully. If they feel that this is a better solution, it is up to them.
If enough folks find the change a problem, they always have the option to leave and try other solutions, or pay for video platforms that allow them to create their own custom channels for online video. I think that it is pretty fair to say that we know that wont happen, right Libby?
It is difficult to complain too much when things are FREE. That is why we always say that there are both good and bad things about depending on Free services like YouTube...
As a person that would like to have a clickable link out to my own website from within my YouTube Channel, I am looking forward to this working in ver 2 of channels on YouTube.
The official line is they cannot support both the new and old channel design, so based on that, I think they will really turn off the old design once they make the decision that the new design is "ready". BTW, I'm not sure what percentage of folks actually use their channels anyway. I think it is mainly the medium & hardcore YouTubers that do... others may not even really know they can change it or that it exists outside of being a "weird name" (YouTube's name) for their "account".
I myself am going to be holding a memorial service for my old channel.
I made the switch about a week ago, and I don't understand all the negative feedback. Most of the people I see complaining have pretty hideous channels to begin with, so I don't see the attachment to the old design.
For those looking to test the waters with the new design, I'd like to share a tutorial I put together that walks you through the editing steps:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qOK5cFJ5nk
Happy Optimizing !
L