YouTube is testing out a shopping feature. Here’s how it would work

YouTube is joining Instagram and Facebook’s footsteps by aiming to add a shopping feature in their application. The shopping feature will create a unique way for users to buy and sell products on the video sharing platform.

“We’re testing a new way for people to easily discover and purchase products featured in YouTube videos,” commented YouTube on a support.google.com thread.

How the shopping feature would work

In the same comment, YouTube shared that viewers would be able to see a shopping bag icon on the bottom left corner of the video that they’re watching. They would be able to click on the icon to check out available products.

From there, viewers can explore each product’s page to see more information, as well as purchasing options for the products. Related videos will also show up on those pages.

The shopping feature will allow the users to purchase items directly through YouTube’s application—generating a more revenue for them in the process. The platform is currently piloting this feature with “a limited number of creators” in the United States.

Currently, it is only visible to users in the United States on iOS, Android, and desktop. YouTube hasn’t yet specified when the feature will roll out worldwide, or at least to more creators.

Another new feature that YouTube has been working on is making more use of the hashtag. Users would be able to discover content easier using hashtags, either by clicking on a hashtag on YouTube or by typing in a hashtag link directly. 

Going forward, when you click on a hashtag on YouTube, you’ll be taken to a dedicated landing page that contains only videos that are using the hashtag. You can also visit the landing page by typing the URL format of youtube.com/hashtag/[yourterm] (e.g., youtube.com/hashtag/interiordesign).

The feature, fortunately, will not include pages for controversial terms like election conspiracy videos. Controversial videos like those were meant to be deleted completely by YouTube, but they have yet to be deleted.

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