(Web Desk) - YouTube has unveiled an exclusive feature tailored for its paying subscribers, introducing "Members Only Shorts" to the platform.
This latest addition aims to provide creators with a means to share short-form videos solely with their paying audience, augmenting the benefits already enjoyed by members, such as custom emojis, badges, and exclusive livestreams.
With Members Only Shorts, YouTube creators can entice viewers to subscribe by offering access to additional content, including special announcements, product releases, or limited-time deals.
The feature enables creators to engage with their audience through various formats like Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or previews of upcoming content.
This move by YouTube follows in the footsteps of TikTok, which recently expanded its subscription offerings to include non-live creators.
Renamed as "Subscription," TikTok's monetization tool allows creators to post exclusive videos accessible solely to paying subscribers, further diversifying the platform's revenue streams.
The introduction of Members Only Shorts on YouTube underscores the platform's commitment to enhancing the creator-viewer relationship while providing creators with innovative ways to monetize their content and connect with their audience.
After posting a Short video, creators now have the option to limit its availability exclusively to their subscribers by selecting the new "members only" feature in the "visibility" settings.
Creators can convert an existing Short into a members-only format. Creators can schedule Shorts to transition from members-only to public, granting subscribers early access before general release.
YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, advises creators to maintain a more casual and authentic tone in these Shorts compared to their public content, aiming to foster a sense of intimacy between creators and their subscribers.
Subscribers will encounter these exclusive short videos in various locations on the platform, including the Shorts tab, Subscriptions feed, and the creator's channel. The content will be marked with a star icon, indicating its exclusivity to paying subscribers.
In an announcement made on Thursday, YouTube disclosed that Shorts garners an average of 70 billion daily views, and over 25% of channels participating in YouTube's Partner Program generate revenue through Shorts' revenue-sharing model.