YouTube launches new “Community”

The competition for social engagement is heating up with the announcement from YouTube that it is launching YouTube Community.
 
YouTube calls it a “simple way to engage with your viewers and express yourself beyond video.”
 
Brands soon will be able to text, post live videos, images, animated GIFs and more in real time. Viewers will be able to see the posts in the subscriptions feed on their phones and can opt into getting a notification anytime a post is made. It looks sort of like a hybrid of various social media channels all in one place.
 
In its beta stage, the new tab is only available to a select group of YouTube creators right now, but YouTube says plans are to make the Community tab available to everyone in the months ahead.
 
To see how it works, you can check out the vlogbrothers an Internet-based show created and hosted by novelist John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) and Hank Green (co-creator of VidCon) or singer and producer Peter Hollens.

Ironically, earlier this month YouTube notified the vlogbrothers that some of their videos were not approved for monetization because the content was not advertiser friendly. The company giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other.
 
The idea is to allow YouTube creators to interact on a more personal level with their viewers than just posting and responding to comments.
 
With so many social media options, one has to wonder how valuable this new community tab will be. What do you think?

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Author

Susan R. Miller is founder of Garton-Miller Media, a full-service, South Florida based public relations firm. Susan is a former journalist with more than 30 years of experience. In addition to public relations, she provides web content writing, press releases, social media, photography and videography. She has two daughters, three golden retrievers and two cats, but just one guinea pig who is happy not to have to share his cage or his daily stash of veggies with anyone.