On October 10, 2022, YouTube announced its handle in an email to all its users. Stating that, it is a new way for people to engage with creators and each other on YouTube. Every channel will have its own unique handle and this will make it easier for fans to find and discover content.
And also interact with their favorite creators. If you have a YouTube channel, you should have received your own email by now.
Fortunately, YouTube stayed true to its word by rolling out Handle already. And different content creators are already receiving emails in their YouTube Studio when they can choose one. Follow this article to the very end to know what YouTube handles are all about and how it works.
What is YouTube Handle?
The handle is a username on social media that shows next to @ symbol like on Instagram or Twitter. YouTube introduces a handle so that all users on the platform will have both their names and a handle. Bringing it in line with other popular social media platforms. YouTube handles will be a part of your channel URL and you make use of it to direct people to your channel easily and identify yourself.
Handles will appear on shorts and channel pages so they will be recognized instantly and consistently. It will be very simple and faster to mention each other in community posts, video descriptions, comments, and many more.
YouTube handles are available to all creators, both free and those on Premiums. And this comes as a relief to many people since YouTube premium comes with a price.
How YouTube Handle Works
YouTube Handles works similarly to how handle works on other social medial channels. They will not replace your channel names but just as I have mentioned above, they will make it simple to identify, tag, and mention channels.
As a creator, you can create your own YouTube handle when you receive a notification via YouTube Studio. If you have not received one now, you can expect to receive it over one month following the announcement.
There are many channels with the same names and there may be cases where creators behind the channels try to use the same handle. In this case, the creator who first secures the handle gets to keep it.
Lastly, when you create a handle, YouTube will help generate a matching URL that has your handle. And this will help bring traffic to your content from outside the YouTube space.
How to Choose your YouTube Handle
Until recently, the people who had YouTube handles are individuals who had over 100 subscribers. Others were using URLs like youtube.com/user/your.handle. However, YouTube is now sending notifications through email, and if you are a creator, via YouTube Studio. And at this point, you should be able to choose your own handle.
If you have a personalized URL for the channel, the platform will have already assigned that as your default handle. Starting from November 14, 2022, the video platform will start assigning people with handles automatically if they have not chosen one already. But if you don’t want it, you can change it. Also, note that if you choose a Handle that belongs to another user, the handle will be denied.
Here are simple steps for choosing a YouTube handle;
- When you receive the notice or email in your YouTube studio, tap on the blue” Choose a Handle” tab.
- You will be directed to https://www.youtube.com/handle, where you will see your name, your personal icon, and a message that state that it is time to choose your handle. Also, you can choose to watch a video on the page that explains the concept. Otherwise, just tap on “Choose Handle.
- According to the platform, if you have created videos you will already have a personalized URL. Or the service will select a handle for you automatically. If it is something unmemorable or funny, you don’t need to worry.
- In the lower field, you can change your assigned handle. Just enter a different handle, you can use up to 30 characters. You will be notified immediately if the handle is already taken
- You can add numbers, periods, and underscores to adjust it if it is taken.
- Once you are happy with the handle, tap on “Confirm selection.” And you are done.
Just so you know, the new handles are reserved for now. You can make use of them later this year. During that period, you will be able to access your channel video by going to youtube.com/@your.handle. However, keep in mind that our old YouTube URL will still work.
Change YouTube Handle – Later on, if you are not happy with the choice you made, you can just go back to http://www.youtube.com/handle. Where the “Choose handle button will now be “Change your handle. Visit the YouTube support page for more information.
Benefits of YouTube Handle
Although this feature is just rolling out gradually, it has lots of amazing perks to offer. According to YouTube, here are the benefits of Handles;
- It will help content creators get more visibility for their channels and as a result, grow their channels.
- As a content creator, you will have better chances of making money on the platform.
- It makes it very easy for people to discover content
- You will get noticed in Shorts.
- Know and identify yourself in a good way
With this feature, you will be able to build a big brand and be very successful.
FAQs
Where will my handle appear?
YouTube is gradually rolling our handles to all channels over the next few days/weeks/. Once it is rolled out to all the users, your handle will appear in places across YouTube like the Shorts tab, search results, comments, and mentions.
In some places, your handle will show alongside your channel names such as your page. In the nearest future, you may see your handle in different places across YouTube.
Why can’t I choose my preferred handle?
The handle may not be available for different reasons. It can be either because another channel is already using it or it did not meet the selection guidelines. You can select the generated handle provided automatically by YouTube or choose another available one.
How will I know when I can choose my own handle?
You will receive a notification in YouTube studio when you get to choose4 your own handle. For most channels, if you have a personalized URL, it will become your handle automatically. However, whether it is personalized or not, you can change it or select the one you have been notified of.
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