Throughout the last year, YouTube has rolled out many updates on the platform for creators. While some of these updates are minor, several have changed how we look at YouTube forever. And when we peek into the future, it doesn't look like the pace of innovation will be slowing anytime soon.
In the video above, Rob has done the colossal task of covering every YouTube update from last year! Watch it now to know what hit the YouTube world in 2024. To help you stay informed, we've compiled the biggest YouTube updates every creator should know!
For most creators, getting monetized is the most important step in growing a sustainable career. And YouTube seems to have acknowledged that loud and clear. Changes to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), Shorts monetization, and the positioning of video ads are helping creators earn big.
If YouTube rejected your YouTube Partner Program (YPP) application, you could re-apply in 21 days instead of waiting the original 30 days. Also, creators who got rejected a second time had to wait 90 days before reapplying. But, during the waiting period, creators could lose their monetization status.
Read more: This Update Could Change the YouTube Partner Program Forever
YouTube has now changed this for the better. Creators will now have a 7-day buffer period to appeal before their income is affected, providing much-needed stability for those who rely on the platform for their livelihood.
Short-form content is here to stay. YouTube now considers videos up to three minutes long as Shorts, granting creators greater flexibility. So, if you've been competing against mini videos that cannibalize your long-form content, your complaints have been heard!
There has also been an increasing trend for YouTube Shorts ad revenue across the platform. In an encouraging sign for Shorts creators, ad RPMs have risen significantly, tripling to above $0.10 per thousand views. This trend underscores the growing advertiser interest in short-form content as TikTok faces its challenges.
The opportunities, though, remain severely limited, and creators still need to weigh the benefits of higher visibility against lower income when creating such content.
Instead of allowing you to select the video ads you want to show, such as pre-rolls, post-rolls, skippable, or non-skippable, YouTube will make those decisions for you. It will happen automatically when you decide to monetize an upload.
Read more: YouTube Monetization Update: Key Changes for Video Ads
YouTube has said that activating pre-roll ads can potentially boost revenue by over 15%, with a watch time reduction of less than 5%. Creators will still have full control over mid-roll ads and can place them manually.
You can now get discovered from YouTube comments, through a keyword query search directly within YouTube. For now, this update is available on mobile only, but we can expect more updates soon.
Read More: Get Discovered By Comments: YouTube Mobile Update
The "Comments" tab on your YouTube Studio has also been renamed to "Community." Its functionality remains largely the same except now with the "Community Spotlight" section, you can check out your most active commenters!
YouTube will also introduce a more dynamic and interactive Community where viewers and subscribers can post content and choose to communicate among themselves.
YouTube took steps to discourage the use of ad blockers, encouraging viewers to support creators through YouTube Premium. This happened for several reasons:
But YouTube's latest announcement on new tiers of Premium has left users baffled. YouTube Premium will now have a cheaper tier called "Premium Lite" with limited ads. Although it's said to bypass most ads, the purpose of this new update is not entirely clear.
YouTube launched a host of tools last year (and some are yet to come in 2024) to aid creators in their process and make life easier. YouTube isn’t just providing a space to upload videos anymore; it wants to enhance your creative process with a slew of shortcuts!
YouTube's new AI tool translates your video into multiple audio tracks in different languages in practically real-time. This update is being sparsely rolled out as we write and the vidIQ channel doesn't have it yet.
This feature essentially enables creators to reach a massive global audience that was previously untapped for absolutely free! It could be one of the biggest growth tool updates on the platform over the last few years! Currently, the number of languages available for translation is limited but we can definitely expect this tool to become bigger.
A new way to support creators, YouTube Hype could become a game changer for small channels. In short, it's a form of fan engagement designed to help creators gain visibility. But unlike the traditional "like" button, which is relatively passive, Hype is an active and impactful form of support. Viewers can “hype” a video, giving it a special kind of acknowledgment that carries more weight than just a like.
In 2024, YouTube will test a new tool called Dream Screen. The name of this feature is spot-on because it sounds exactly like what it does. Whatever you can “dream of”, YouTube will place it in the background of your YouTube Shorts! Just describe what you want to see, and the AI will make it happen.
Read more: Coming Soon: YouTube Announces New AI Tools for Video Creation
Now with the addition of the text-to-video AI generation tool Veo, which lets you generate 6-second video clips with a simple prompt, there will be a lot of new possibilities with this feature for Shorts.
If you're an educational channel, this update could prove vital to your growth on YouTube. Now you can make "Courses" which work the same way as "Playlists" which will appear under a new tab on your channel. Viewers who watch these courses can interact with each other on that playlist for easier exchange of ideas.
YouTube's incredible reach means this feature has an incredible potential to educate more people on the internet. And while paid courses are still in limited beta, creators might have great opportunities here
YouTube will now have a video editor that creators can use for their content. Here’s what it can do:
YouTube Create is in beta right now, but a few Android markets have access to the free app.
Creators can now test up to three thumbnails per video, with YouTube selecting the best one based on share of watch time. This is a significant update for those who want to optimize their video's packaging.
In 2024, YouTube will introduce labels to indicate AI-generated content, aiming to prevent misinformation and creator impersonation. Soon, creators must self-certify their AI content or risk harsh penalties, like content removal or suspension from the YPP.
YouTube has recently launched a brand-new product that allows creators to stream their content in a vertical, 9:16 format that is usually popular with platforms like TikTok and Instagram. With this new live format, both veterans and newbies of the "Shorts" and "Live" categories have a new way of growing their channel and audience.
Read More: YouTube Vertical Live: Is It For You?
While the community hasn’t always been on the same page with YouTube’s changes, most of these updates have been received well. We can expect more updates coming our way in 2025.
So, get ready to capitalize and kickstart your year on YouTube the right way!
In addition to being an avid movie and gaming enthusiast, Uttaran Samaddar is an experienced writer who has lent his creativity and unique perspective to various publications. He loves hearing and telling stories.
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