While using the new Communities space, fans will be able to take advantage of familiar features such as the ability to like posts and comments. Additionally, the new Communities experience comes with its own moderation tools, although there are some things that are different in a few key ways.
For example, conversations and comments can be initiated and shared by fans, with creator control over who can participate. However, it’s important to mention that only subscribers can post in Communities. Other key features of the new Communities experience include:
- 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 announced that it has already started testing Communities on mobile devices with a small group of creators and their fans. The streaming service plans to make it available to more creators by the end of the year, before expanding access to more channels in early 2025.
YouTube’s new Communities experience | Screenshot credit: YouTube
With Communities, YouTube is trying to bring the same level of interaction between creators and fans as Twitch has been providing since launch. This is one of the major features that helps communities grow, something that YouTube creators have been requesting for a very long time.Frankly, it’s baffling that YouTube hasn’t made any changes to the way fans chat with each other until now. Now let’s see how this will evolve and whether or not YouTube will listen to the feedback provided by creators and make the necessary changes to further improve the Community experience (if needed).
If you’re one of the YouTube creators that can now access the new Community experience, let us know in the comments what you think.
