YouTube to broadly support the @username format with launch of YouTube handles

It is simpler for creators to direct viewers to their channels. The company today announced a new way for creators to identify their channel with an@username format in order to interact with their viewers. You don't need to be a creator of a certain amount of subscribers to claim your own unique handle.

Only limited support for the format was offered by YouTube, which allowed creators to mention channels in video titles and descriptions, or mention other users in YouTube Live chats. The option of using a usernames was not available in other areas. You would have to reply to the other person's comment in order to tag them.

ByteDance-owned video app encourages users to engage in back-and-forth discussions through their short videos and in the resulting discussions and video responses To work, that requires the use ofusernames orhandles.

The new handles will be instantly and consistently recognizable across the platform. Users will be able to mention others in the comments after handles are fully launched. These handles won't replace the channel name itself, but they will be unique and allow creators to establish a distinct presence for themselves on the platform

Next week, support for handles will begin. To protect creators from having their channel name staked by someone else in what is sure to be one of the biggest usernames land grabs on the internet, YouTube notes that channels that already have a personalized URL will see that as their default handle unless they choose to change it.

The timing of the roll out of handles has been designed to ensure that established creators will gain access to the feature first, as YouTube plans to use factors like the creator's overall YouTube presence, subscriber count and whether the channel is active or inactive.

A matching URL will be created after a handle is established, which will allow the creator to market their handle elsewhere on the internet or in other media. If the channel already had a personalized URL, they won't need to update their links if they already have a handle-based one.

At some point, everyone will be able to grab a handle on the video sharing site. A notification will be sent over the next month.