YouTube is testing Instagram-style collabs

YouTube has started testing a new collaboration feature, similar to Instagram’s and TikTok’s. A Google employee explained on YouTube Help that it will allow creators to add collaborators to a video so that they can be recommended to each other’s audiences. The test is only available to a small group of creators for now, but it sounds like YouTube has plans to expand its availability in the future. Lindsey Gamble, an influencer marketing consultant and advisor, has posted a screenshot showing how the experimental feature works on Threads.

As you can see in the image Gamble posted, adding collaborators would show their names next to the creators on their channel. If there are too many, at least on mobile, the collaborators would show as “…and more” next to the creator’s name. Tapping on it would bring up the list of people involved in the project, with the Subscribe button next to their name.

On Instagram and TikTok, the creator who uploads the content will have to invite another account as a collaborator, who’ll then have to approve the invitation. That’ll most likely be the case here, as well, in order to ensure that creators don’t randomly add other users to their videos. It’s not clear, however, whether the collaborators can see details typically reserved for the uploader’s eyes. As with any experimental YouTube and Google product, the company will be taking the testers’ feedback into account before deciding if it’ll give the feature a wide release.

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