YouTube’s ‘One Channel’, a new look channel design for video content creators, has gone live after a short beta test, as the firm looks to boost its online video advertising revenues.
The move forms part of Google’s strategy to turn YouTube into a more TV-friendly (and hence more ad friendly) experience, while encouraging content creators to upload more videos by giving them their own channel, in turn ramping up traffic to the site.
Although many members make no use of the channel feature on YouTube, some content creators have turned the channel feature into a thriving business empire, such as Smosh, which garners millions of subscribers and thousands of advertising dollars a month.
The channel has been in limited beta test since early February, and has been introduced to make a video uploader’s channel look slick across different screen sizes and devices, adapting its style for the occasion, such as mobiles, tablets and TVs.
Along with a look that provides more visual breathing room, a wide image called Channel Art sits at the top of a page, in a similar style to Google+.
The refresh also introduces the ability to organize video playlists with custom sections.
The new setup features a banner at the top of a channels page, alongside a trailer video for visitors that have not yet subscribed to a producers channel.
The YouTube One Channel program is now available to all YouTube users. At this time YouTube is not forcing the change, instead leaving users with an opt-in option.
Announcing the change, YouTube product manager Jeb Havens writes: “The main focus of this update is to make your new channel look great on browsers across all screens and devices. It will also help you convert more visitors into subscribers with a slot for a channel trailer, and you can customize how you organize your videos and playlists so it fits your programming strategy.”
YouTube listed three key new features on One Channel:
1. Create a trailer, which will play for any visitors who aren’t yet subscribed to your channel. This is your chance to hook them and win new fans. Treat this trailer as if it were an ad. Keep it short and engaging and have a compelling call to action at the end.
2. Upload an eye-catching piece of Channel Art. This will act as your channel’s visual identity. And unlike the branding on the old channels, it will look good across all screens and devices, from smartphones and tablets to laptops and TVs.
3. Organize your channel’s videos and playlists so they work best for your audience and programming. With the new channel home and customizable sections, you’re in control of what subscribers see, enabling you to curate content — your own or others’ — into highly visible sections for your fans to discover and watch.
To announce the new platform YouTube has employed several of its top content producers to explain why the program works so well.
Here is the YouTube One Channel video:
Read the official blog here
