Wow, YouTube just stepped up their game! To be a little more specific, they are replacing the Trending page and the Trending Now list with new, category-specific charts. As TeamYouTube’s Meaghan formally announced this move in a blog post, crowning the winners of its first-ever contest, it signals the end of an era for the popular features, which have existed since 2015. These new charts will be released in the coming weeks. Perhaps most importantly, they’ll allow users to more personally explore trending content.
YouTube took down the Trending page entirely and the Trending Now list. We hope this change makes it easier for you to find videos that really fit what you’re interested in watching. The Trending page, which served as a “singular list of viral videos,” showcased the most popular and highly engaged posts on the platform. It curated a selection of trending uploads that captivated audiences, but YouTube aims to shift towards a more organized structure that categorizes content.
Introduction of Category-Specific Charts
YouTube’s in the midst of a huge redesign! With this update, users will be presented with category-based charts, allowing for easier browsing across the most popular videos. Additionally, these charts will rank content according to its popularity within specific, defined genres, arguably providing a more intuitive experience for users. This shift further demonstrates YouTube’s ongoing efforts to adapt their platform in accordance with user feedback and overall viewing habits.
YouTube’s latest creator-focused campaign now plays up the incredible range of content found on the site. By categorizing videos, it aims to ensure that users can discover not just viral hits but niche content tailored to their preferences. We believe this change would improve user experience by better linking users to relevant content they otherwise would not have discovered.
Enhanced Search Functionality with AI Carousel
YouTube has produced some really groundbreaking stuff in terms of content discovery. On top of that, they have launched an AI video carousel feature in their search experience! This innovative tool automatically plays clips from search results, providing users with a dynamic way to explore content related to their queries. The first iteration of our AI carousel went live earlier this year. Its mission is to make the search process easier and deliver users beautiful, relevant video previews right away.
The AI video carousel is a great example of YouTube using new technology to create better experiences for users. Consumers today want information and entertainment totally on demand. Elements like this one promote video exploration to be much more interactive and efficient, specifically tackling these required demands.
Reflecting on the Legacy of the Trending Page
The YouTube Trending page has served as a barometer of what is popular on the platform for nearly a decade. It shined a much-needed light on the viral videos that lead online trends and culture, catapulting creators into the spotlight with millions of viewers. While such static content may have once made sense, as a viewing pattern changes, platforms like YouTube need to make changes to better serve their audience.
As this transition takes place, we’ll be keeping a keen eye on how users respond to the new category-specific charts. Finally, we’re excited to see how successful the AI video carousel might be in creating a better content discovery experience. Erasing such previous cornerstones, including their Trending page, makes this a significant transformational time for YouTube. It’s now charting the course for how we consume digital video in the future with this big transition.
