YouTube recently announced that they are introducing ‘handles’ to make it easier for members of the community to find and connect with each other.
YouTube Handles and Your Business
Each YouTube creator’s handle will be unique to their channel and will enable users to mention them in the likes of comments and community posts. The rollout of handles begins on 14 November, and creators such as small businesses can select their handle by then or YouTube will automatically assign a handle which can then be changed in YouTube Studio.
Handle or Personalized URL?
While it is likely that the personalized URL of each creator will become their handle, the new handles will differ from the original channel names as they will be completely unique to each creator, helping them establish a distinct presence on YouTube.
In an email to creators, YouTube said: “We’re gradually rolling out the ability to choose a handle for all channels over the coming weeks, and you will receive another email and a notification in YouTube Studio when you’re able to choose yours. In most cases, if you already have a personalized URL for your channel, we’ve reserved this for you as your handle. If you want a different handle from the one that we’ve reserved, you can change it. If you don’t already have a personalized URL today, you’ll also be able to choose a handle for your channel.”
Small Business Handles
Your new handle will help your business get noticed in Shorts, and let others find your business on YouTube. You will also be able to use it to identify your business and connect with others in the YouTube community, plus other users can use your handle to tag your business in videos.
Due to the intended uniqueness of each handle, some creators may find that they cannot use their preferred handle as it has already been taken by someone else. Businesses whose brand recognition relies on their name will want to move fast to secure their new handle.
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This article, “YouTube Handles are Here – What it Means for Your Business” was first published on Small Business Trends