YouTube adds new features to make Shorts videos more fun and easy

Image: YouTube

Aside from testing live videos in Shorts, YouTube is rolling out new features to help you make Shorts videos easily and creatively. One of the features, currently in testing, allows you to transform a horizontal YouTube clip into a vertical Short by zooming and cropping the original video.

Another feature, called suggestions, helps you to replicate the audio and effect from a video you like. This is similar to how TikTok and Meta’s Reels let users reuse audio and effects from other videos. But YouTube’s version will also match the audio time stamp to the original clip.

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YouTube tests live videos in Shorts

Image: YouTube

YouTube is testing a new feature that will show live videos in your Shorts feed—similar to how TikTok live videos appear. You can tap on the live video to watch the stream and then swipe through a feed of other live videos. This feed will also support creator monetization features like paid chats and memberships.

This feature could help creators reach new audiences with Shorts and increase engagement and revenue with live videos. It also follows TikTok’s strategy of using live videos to promote products, target specific audiences, and host exciting virtual events. YouTube plans to roll out full-screen live videos in the coming months gradually.

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YouTube tests a feature that lets you make Shorts inspired by comments

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YouTube continues to look for ways to make Shorts more engaging and fun. And one of its latest experiments is letting viewers use comments from other videos as inspiration for their own Shorts. This experiment, called “viewer-created Shorts featuring comments,” is only available to a small group of users on Android and iOS devices. It works like this: when a viewer watches a video, they can select any comment from that video and use it as a starting point for their own Short. They can then edit and add effects to their Short as usual. The original creator of the video and the author of the comment will not be notified when this happens, but the viewer who made the Short can find it on their channel page and in the Shorts feed.

However, not everyone may want their comments to be used for Shorts. And that’s why YouTube gives creators the option to disable comments on their videos. This way, they can prevent viewers from making Shorts out of their comments. YouTube says this is just an experiment, and it may not roll out to everyone. The company often tests new features without announcing them, so this one could be a sign of something bigger to come.

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YouTube Shorts will get a shopping feature

YouTube is looking for a new revenue stream, and it's turning to its TikTok-like feature, Shorts. The streaming giant is testing a new commission for creators on the site, where users can purchase products as they scroll through Shorts. This move comes amid decreasing ad spending and an economic downturn. YouTube rivals TikTok and Instagram have something similar in the e-commerce space. The new shopping features are expected to roll out in 2023, with creators getting a 45% cut of the revenue made from ads displayed between videos.

Viewers in Canada, the US, Brazil, Australia, and India will get the chance to interact with the product tags eligible creators add to their posts. YouTube plans to bring this to more markets in the future.

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