YouTube Introduces Handles To Help Creators Have A More Unified Presence

Source: YouTube

YouTube introduced handles for creators. Like Instagram and TikTok, handles are unique identifiers in the @username format.

How Handles Will Work

Every YouTube channel will have a handle, which will also serve as the unique URL for the channel. Until now, only creators with more than 100 subscribers were eligible for custom URLs. This update will give all creators a unique URL based on their handle.

YouTube will display handles across various aspects of the platform, including channel pages, video descriptions, Shorts, search results, and comments. 

Over the coming months, YouTube will notify creators when they can choose a handle. Each creator's timing will depend on a variety of factors, including their overall YouTube presence, subscriber count, and whether their channel is active or not. If creators already have a personalized URL, that will become their default handle. However, they may choose to change it. Creators that don’t choose a handle will have one assigned to them based on their channel name.

The Benefits Of Handles For Creators & Viewers

Handles bring YouTube in line with other major social media platforms that allow users to create unique handles or usernames. This allows creators to direct viewers to their channel and content and makes it easier for users to find creators and content. Additionally, they enable users to quickly identify creators when they come across their handles, such as when watching Shorts or when they are mentioned in comments.

It is also helpful to ensure viewers engage and interact with the creators they intend to. In the past, people have made copycat channels of popular YouTubers and tried to monetize them because channel pages weren't unique. Unique identifiers in handles make it much harder for people to create channels that mislead viewers, offering creators an enhanced level of protection.

Last but not least, handles make it easier for creators to promote and collaborate. For example, they can tag another creator in the title of a video they have collaborated with. Handles may also lead to YouTube eventually rolling out a feature similar to Instagram Collabs, where creators can share a collaborative video across both of their channels with credit to both handles.