YouTube is offering channel producers on its site the chance to add a short intro clip to all their videos in a move geared toward improving channel branding.
“Everyone knows the power of a good introduction,” YouTube software engineer John Gregg said in a post introducing the new feature. “Imagine watching The Simpsons without its iconic opening sequence. Wouldn’t be the same, would it?”
The move came in response to increasing demand from producers looking for extra ways to build a consistent brand for audiences, Gregg said.
The intro-video feature allows a channel owner to perform a one-time upload of a clip of up to three seconds which’ll automatically play before every video on that channel.
Gregg outlined the simple steps you’ll need to take:
1 – Upload the three-second intro video you’d like to use to your channel as an unlisted video.
2 – On your channel’s InVideo Programming page, click “Add a channel branding intro” and select the intro from a list of eligible videos.
3. Select which videos you want the intro to appear on. You can choose whether to add it to all of your videos, or just the ones you’ve uploaded after a certain date. You can always remove or change the intro later.
Simple, huh?
Channel owners should keep in mind that the intros are not allowed to be used as ads, sponsorships, or product placements, nor be used with a video which itself is an ad.
While some channel producers will have already been including a short intro clip with their videos, this new feature should make it easier as it can be done as a one-time upload, and can also be easily refreshed when it starts to look dated.
