YouTube has started testing a new collaboration feature similar to Instagram and TikTok. A Google employee explained in the YouTube Help that this feature will allow authors to add collaborators to videos so that they can recommend them to each other’s audiences. Currently, the test is only available to a small group of creators, but it looks like YouTube plans to expand its availability in the future. Lindsay Gamble, an influencer marketing consultant and advisor, posted a screenshot showing how the experimental feature works on Threads.
As you can see in the image Gamble posted, adding co-authors shows their names next to the authors on their feed. If there are too many, at least on mobile devices, the collaborators will show up as “…and others” next to the author’s name. If you click on it, a list of people participating in the project will appear with a “Follow” button next to their name.
On Instagram and TikTok, the author who uploads the content will have to invite another account as a co-author, who will then have to approve the invitation. This is likely to be the case here as well, to ensure that authors don’t accidentally add other users to their videos. However, it’s unclear whether collaborators will be able to see details that are usually reserved for the eyes of the uploader. As with any experimental product from YouTube and Google, the companies will take into account feedback from testers before deciding whether to roll out this feature to the public.
