We Think You’ll Like These YouTube Premieres Updates
The number of online courses and digital events seemed to grow in record numbers this year. Thanks to the pandemic, nearly all of us were forced to turn our homes into multi-functional workspaces. As a result, upskilling and staying connected became top priorities for creators, so these YouTube Premieres updates shouldn’t be a surprise. Digital marketing strategies almost always include a video component and whether you have a YouTube channel or not (yet), Premieres is worth looking into.
This feature is relatively young (around two-years-old) and before 2020, hadn’t undergone any massive updates. But before we get to those, here’s a quick refresher on what YouTube Premieres actually is. It allows users to live stream pre-recorded videos, so they can focus on engaging with viewers while debuting new content. Once you’ve set the date and time for your premiere, it also shows up in the feed of subscribers so they can know ahead of time to tune in. In short, Premieres gives some control back to the user and also makes it easier to build a loyal following because you’re watching something together.
According to The Verge, YouTube claims “there’s been an 85 percent growth in the daily use of the feature from over 8 million channels.” That being said, the updates are going to address some of the newer findings from this unforgettable year.
First up is Live Redirect, a live stream YouTubers can hold prior to the pre-recorded live stream, which it will automatically redirect to. Think of this as the red carpet before an award show that can drum up excitement for your latest drop. The only caveat is that you can’t link to videos outside of your channel. For example, if you’re telling subscribers about a tutorial you did for a friend’s YouTube channel, Live Redirect can’t connect your viewers to that video.
Next up are Premieres Trailers, which you can use to create more excitement for your next upload. These can be anywhere from 15 seconds to three minutes and the content must be public. You can run ads on trailers but only if it’s also a regular video upload on your channel too.
Ten new Countdown themes have also been added since users complained that the default option rarely matched their brand aesthetic.
Lastly, you’ll be able to schedule YouTube Premieres via the mobile app. Until now, this was only allowed on a desktop. As for when all of these features debut, Live Redirect and Premiere Trailers launch this month, while the new Countdown themes arrive in early 2021. There’s a lot to take advantage of, so get familiar with this tool if you haven’t already.
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