YouTube’s Testing QR Codes for Channels, User-Generated Shorts Effects

YouTube is adding QR codes for channels, in order to facilitate faster connection, while it’s also testing effects creation for Shorts, and expanding access to its “Jump Ahead” feature for clips.

First off, on QR codes. Now, you can access a unique QR code for your YouTube channel, to help facilitate broader connection.

As per YouTube:

“Up until now, creators who wanted to share their channel with others had to copy and paste the channel link, which is difficult to do offline. Now, we’re experimenting with Creator QR codes creators. In the experiment, users will be able to share their Channel QR code on or offline with others to easily scan.”

QR codes have long been lauded as a connective solution, for many different purposes, but have never really caught on outside of the supermarket checkout. But maybe, this will add more functionality to streamline connection, and help more channels bring more subscribers to their clips.

You can find your YouTube channel QR in the “You” tab in the bottom menu of the YouTube app. Within the “Share Channel” element, you’ll be able to find your unique QR code.

On another front, YouTube’s also experimenting with new, user-generated Shorts effects, providing another engagement option in its increasingly popular short form option.

“To make Shorts creation even more fun and expressive, we’re running an experiment that gives a small group of creators the ability to design and publish their own unique effects directly to Shorts. All creators can use these user-generated effects in their own Shorts content by tapping the Effects button and exploring from there.”

So it’s very similar to the creator-originated effects available on Snapchat or Instagram, though without the more advanced AR building platform to facilitate creation.

But that may also be coming, with this potentially being a precursor to an expanded set of effects creation features coming to YouTube, as it looks to keep up with its short-form rivals.   

YouTube says that the experiment is rolling out to a small percentage of users at first, with plans for broader expansion later this year.

YouTube’s also experimenting with a new way to @mention other YouTube channels in comments, while it’s also expanding its test of a payment details view within YouTube Studio to more currencies (not just USD).

And finally, YouTube’s also bringing its new, A.I.-based “Jump Ahead” feature to more users.

Jump Ahead uses A.I. to detect the most popular parts of video clips, and skips users ahead to those key points when they double tap on the fast-forward button. YouTube initially launched the feature in testing back in March, and says that 92% of people who’ve tested the feature (and submitted feedback) found it to be useful.

Though there may also be creator impacts with this. I mean, if people aren’t watching your videos all the way through, your watch time is toast, right?

On that front, YouTube says that in its testing, it found “no statistically significant change in watch time” overall. Which seems odd, but that’s what YouTube says.

The feature will be made available to YouTube Premium subscribers, while creators can try out the feature on their own videos, even if they don’t have Premium.

These are some interesting updates, which could have an impact on your YouTube strategy.

You can learn more about YouTube’s latest feature updates and tests here.