So YouTube just dropped "Community Spaces" and it's like they've been secretly reading our dream journals. Or our nightmares. I'm not quite sure yet.
In short: They're basically grafting a mini social network onto channels. Fans can post text updates, creators can respond, everyone can pretend they're not just killing time between video binges. It's genius, it's terrifying, it's... inevitable?
Let's break this down:
- YouTube realised that comments sections are where good vibes go to die.
- But they also know that engagement is the lifeblood of the platform.
- So they're building a controlled environment for fan interaction that's one part Twitter, two parts Reddit, with a sprinkle of Discord for flavour.
Maybe let's call it Broadcast channels but on YouTube?
The wild part? This feature is probably best suited on YouTube than on Instagram. YouTube creators build deeper, more niche communities. There's a big difference between following a lifestyle influencer and being part of a dedicated fan base for a tech review channel or a cooking show.
As someone who works on social full time, I'm feeling okay about this one. But mostly, I feel for creators. It's a new toy to play with, sure, but it's also another feature they'll have to master to stay relevant. Aka **get ready for a flood of "10 Ways to Maximize Your YouTube Community Space" articles**.
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Technical Partner Manager @ Meta | Solving API Product & Integration Challenges
1moAs someone who uses (and works at) Meta/Instagram and also leverages Pinterest heavily, I’m so EXCITED about this!!!