YouTube is evolving with a swathe of new features dropping this week including a new Community space for fanbases to thrive.

YouTube are making their video platform more social with a new discussion board for channels. The Community tab is a brand new spot on channels where viewers and fans can have a conversation about the channel at large, beyond the comments of a particular video or post.

Maintaining a thriving community is a huge part of having a successful brand in the modern digital realm. Discords, Subreddits, and busy social media pages are all destinations for conversations around the lovers of a particular channel or personality.

Now, YouTube’s Community tab brings those discussions in-house. Creators can choose to turn on their Community tab, opening up a new place on their channel where fans can post and reply to each other. To bolster the engagement, creator’s can get involved themselves and talk to their fans.

YouTube state that their intention for this new feature is in part to take the pressure off of creators. By allowing fans to spur interaction around their content, creators can spend less time trying to engage constantly and more time on producing great content.

YouTube have launched the Community Hub for creators. This spot will replace the comments section of the YouTube Studio app, making it easier to keep track of all of the potentially new discussions that they need to manage and maintain.

YouTube state: “We recognise the importance of balancing vibrant engagement with an environment where you can express yourself authentically, whether you’re sharing something, asking a question, or just hanging out.”

Here is how YouTube distinguish Community from their other features like posts and comments:

  • Fan-initiated: Conversations and comments can be initiated and shared by fans, with creator control over who can participate. To start, only subscribers can post in Communities, and we’re evaluating more controls that could be helpful to creators as we continue our tests.
  • Dedicated space: A dedicated spot for conversation and connection, empowering creators to maintain control over their content and brand while fostering meaningful community engagement in a comfortable and inviting space.
  • Continuous dialog: Conversations transcend individual videos and posts, allowing topics to flow organically and continue over time.
  • Community-powered: Fans drive the space, creating a sense of belonging where like-minded individuals can connect, learn, and share their passions.

YouTube’s new Community feature comes alongside a number of other huge advancements for the platform. One powerful new feature allows auto-dubbing of videos into other languages.

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