YouTube announced it would discontinue the Stories feature on June 26, 2023. On that Monday, users can no longer create YouTube stories. Also, those created before that date will expire as normal seven days after creation. As a result, you will no longer be able to see stories on the video-sharing site on July 3, 2023.
YouTube said it would drop the feature to focus on more popular ones. These include YouTube Shorts, which is a similar form of short-form content. That means the website will still use this video type like other companies.
Understanding what happened to YouTube Stories lets you learn the larger content trend. This article will discuss why the company will end YouTube Stories in the coming months. Then, I will also explain why more businesses are using short videos for marketing purposes.
Why is the YouTube Stories feature ending soon?
YouTube Stories are TikTok-like videos that last seven days. They are similar to Facebook stories, letting users post daily updates quickly. The company released that feature to a few users in 2018. Only content creators with 10,000 subscribers or more could use the feature.
I officially launched the feature in 2019. However, YouTube announced it would end this feature on June 26, 2023. Here is the exact announcement from the video-sharing company:
“Today, there are many ways to create on YouTube – from Community posts to Shorts to long-form and Live. To prioritize these key features, Stories are going away.”
“While Stories are going away, we’ve seen that both Community posts and YouTube Shorts are great alternatives that can deliver valuable audience connections and conversations,” the announcement added. The company explained YouTube Shorts attracted more subscribers than Stories.
YouTube also mentioned Community posts while explaining why it will remove the Stories feature. Like Shorts, it was more accessible to users and drove more subscriber engagement.
The video-sharing platform understands some users may miss YouTube Stories. Consequently, it enabled people to use Community posts that expire after 24 hours.
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As a result, it could replace the functionality of Stories. However, YouTube’s official Twitter account told a user that Stories is “slowly rolling out to more creators” two days ago.
Some users will miss this feature, but it is necessary. Companies must remove lackluster services to replace them with better ones like Shorts and Community posts.
Also, removing Stories will enable YouTube to remove confusing options. As a result, it could drive more viewers to videos and channels, helping content creators earn money.
Why do companies prefer short videos?
YouTube Stories might be gone, but the short-form video trend continues. Nowadays, most companies use short clips for marketing campaigns.
The biggest reason is it’s the most popular content format. TikTok accustomed a global generation to viewing 10-second videos regularly.
According to the 2022 Sprout Social Index, 66% of consumers say short clips are the most engaging social content. It is easy to watch several and send them to friends and family.
It is also easier to create short-form videos, making it easier for marketers to use. According to Wyzowl, 41% of them shared the same sentiment.
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For example, TikTok marketing is one of the most recent and popular methods. Most businesses can do it because you only need the TikTok app to record and share clips.
Also, short-form videos help you reach more people organically. In other words, you can share content naturally. If they like your content, people are more likely to share it.
Eventually, your initial viewers can help you gain more people. As a result, you have more potential customers to lead to your product and promo pages.
Conclusion
The YouTube Stories service will end in June. You can no longer create this content type on that date, and you won’t be able to view others’ Stories in July.
However, YouTube still follows the short-form video trend with its Shorts and Community posts. You can also find more companies using a similar strategy.
You should try YouTube stories before the deadline! Also, read Inquirer Tech articles for the latest tips and trends about artificial intelligence, gadgets, social media, and more.