YouTube added a new way for users to promote their videos and channels today, with the launch of a new feature called InVideo Promotion. The feature was detailed on the YouTube Creator blog, where YouTube Product Manager Michael Rucker provided some example use cases for creators.
InVideo Programming will allow users to promote a new video across their entire library, making it easy to point users to that media through a clickable thumbnail embedded within the YouTube player. Creators will be able to promote older videos through the unit, and can also use InVideo Programming to promote their brand and point viewers to the channel page where they can click through and subscribe. According to the blog post, InVideo Programming will be available wherever Video Annotations are available.
For YouTube, the InVideo Programming feature is a way for creators to drive increased viewership not just of individual videos, but to help grow their overall video audience. It is designed to create a virtuous cycle of viewership, where new visitors who like what they’re watching could be enticed to watch additional videos, or be encouraged to come back for more. It’s not a bad strategy, showing people more of what they already like.
But creators won’t know how well it works quite yet. The feature is shipping without analytics, but have no fear — those are coming soon, YouTube says. Also coming soon: UI improvements to make the feature more attractive. Until then.