YouTube Launches @username Handles To Help Drive Traffic

YouTube, a video-sharing website, introduced handles and now has support for @username format tags on channels’ pages, in Shorts, or in the comments.

YouTube offers a new method for users to discover and interact with content creators directly by using their handles to tag them. The announcements are made via the video-sharing site’s News and Events page, which lets channels utilize unique identifiers using the Format of @username.

The handles will be displayed in video descriptions, comments, and on channel pages, among others. Users can quickly tag other users.

“It’ll soon be easier and quicker to include mentions of one another in posts on community forums, comments, video descriptions, and so on,” YouTube said via the announcement. “For instance, creators can be recognized with comments, or even tagged as the creator of the latest collab, helping the creators increase visibility and get in touch with new viewers.”

Handles will be released in the coming month Creators will be informed when they can choose their preferred handle. If the channel already has a personal URL, it will be the default handler, which can be changed for a brief time following the notification received.

“The date at which creators are granted access to the handle selection process depends on a variety of aspects, such as the general YouTube presence, subscribers count as well as whether or not the channel has been active,” YouTube said in an announcement.

Handles Join Channel Names As Unique Identifier

In the early 2022’s, YouTube began allowing content creators to alter both their channel name and URL of their channels. They also offered opportunities for branding to help channel owners identify and differentiate their channels.

But, unlike channel names, every handle will be distinct, allowing creators to differentiate their brand. This aligns with the handles and usernames utilized on other social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Before this upgrade, YouTube had only offered limited support for using the form. Users could use it in YouTube Live chats to mention other people, and creators could use Format @ to refer to videos and channels but could not tag another user in reply with their comment.

@Username Format aims to Be In Competition With TikTok

With over 100 million users across the globe The short-form media platform TikTok has grown into an essential participant in social media. In this regard, various social networks are trying to be competitive with Facebook by launching Reels and YouTube by expanding into shorts.

One of the benefits TikTok offers is the ability for users to join in the conversation via posts, then the discussions that follow, and the results. By including @username handles on both shorts and channel pages, YouTube hopes to bring similar users to TikTok.