YouTube has introduced account handles (@name), which is something that is commonly used across other social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. According to YouTube, every YouTuber will get a unique account handle (@name) that will appear on channel pages and Shorts, so they’ll be instantly and consistently recognizable.
The company will start rolling out handles gradually starting this week by notifying users when it’s their turn to pick a unique YouTube handle for their account, which means that some people will get to claim theirs before others. However, if a user already has a personalized channel URL, that will be used as their default handle until they have the option to change it.
YouTube says it will roll out notifications based on several factors, including overall presence on the platform, number of subscribers, and whether the channel is active or inactive. Once the feature has been released, YouTube handles will make it simpler and faster to mention each other in the comments, community posts, video descriptions or video titles, which is going to help increase visibility and reach with audiences.
When a creator chooses their YouTube handle, they will also be getting a matching URL (ex: youtube.com/@handle) so creators can easily direct people to their account when they’re not on YouTube. However, if a channel already has a personalized URL, there’s no need to update anything as users will automatically be redirected to the new handle-based URL.
Read more: You May Soon Have to Buy YouTube Premium to Watch 4K Videos.
