New YouTube Feature Aims To Spark Viral Trends In Shorts

YouTube is rolling out an experimental feature to boost trend participation among YouTube Shorts creators.

The new “Add Yours” sticker, currently being tested with select channels, provides a way to initiate and join trending topics.

YouTube announced the feature in its weekly news update for video creators.

The experiment introduces a novel way to prompt responses from your audience, potentially catalyzing viral trends and challenges.

How It Works

1. Creators in the test group will find an “Add yours” option in the sticker picker when creating a Short.
2. After recording a Short, tap “Next,” then the sticker icon, and select “Add yours.”
3. Type a prompt for other users to respond to.
4. The sticker will appear as an overlay on the published Short.

Screenshot from: YouTube.com/CreatorInsider, July 2024.

Viewer Interaction

Viewers watching Shorts with the “Add yours” sticker can participate by clicking on the sticker and creating a response video.

Channels can track engagement by tapping on the sticker. This lets you see all the Shorts created responding to your prompt, providing potential feedback and insights.

Screenshot from: YouTube.com/CreatorInsider, July 2024.

What Does This Mean For You?

To illustrate the potential of YouTube’s new “Add Yours” sticker for Shorts, let’s consider how a creator in the SEO community might use this feature.

Example: “30-Second SEO Tip”

• Initial Short: Demonstrates a quick SEO trick, like using Google Trends for keyword research.
  • Sticker: “Share your best 30-second SEO tip!”
    • Caption: “Boost your SEO game! What’s your quickest optimization hack? #30SecSEOTip”
      • Result: Other creators contribute their SEO tips.

This concise format encourages participation, provides quick value, and can potentially grow your YouTube audience.

Limited Rollout

YouTube is making the feature available only to a small number of Shorts creators on mobile devices.

This limited release allows YouTube to gather feedback and refine the feature before a potential wider launch.

Looking Ahead

The introduction of the “Add yours” sticker aligns with YouTube’s efforts to compete in the short-form video market, dominated by platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.

By facilitating easier trend creation and participation, YouTube aims to amplify the creation of short videos.

Featured Image: photosince/shutterstock