YouTube’s personalised handles to easily tag and find other channels
(Picture: YouTube)YouTube has announced that personalised handles will be coming to the video platform, in a similar format to Twitter and Instagram.
Every channel will have a unique handle tag, linked to their YouTube channel name. They will appear on channel pages and on Shorts, making it easier to find creators from their content.
For example, videos featuring a number of different channels will be able to tag each other in the comments, community posts, video descriptions and more.
By clicking on the handle, you will instantly be taken to the channel, without having to search for the channel name and go through search results.
It will also allow for more back-and-forth communication in the comments, as you’ll now be able to easily and directly tag a channel in your comment. Previously, you could only reply to users who had already commented on the same video.
Unlike channel names, every handle is unique, along with a unique channel link, offering greater brand recognition to creators.
The new feature will start to be rolled out gradually later this week, with handles being assigned to channels according to overall YouTube presence, subscriber count, and whether the channel is active or inactive. Everyone will eventually get a YouTube handle, with most channels expected to receive one within the next month.
With YouTube already having one eye on TikTok through Shorts, this is another sign that the platform is moving closer to other social-media platforms, like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
