YouTube Enhances Comments With GIFs, TV Posting and New Community Tools

YouTube is upgrading its comments section while also introducing other community-oriented features, including exclusive paid memberships, the company announced Wednesday during its Made On YouTube event. Viewers will soon be able to reply using GIFs or post comments directly from their TVs, while creators will receive additional tools for building and supporting fan communities, including personalized moderation options, VIP-style spaces for members, and new ways for fans to help creators earn money from their content.

Comments remain one of the primary ways YouTube audiences engage with creators’ content, although the platform has frequently trailed other social networks when it comes to comment functionality. For example, TikTok recently announced that users can reply to videos with their voices and include polls, photo carousels, and Live Photos in comments. Spotify, meanwhile, allows video podcasters to engage their audiences through polls and Q&As.

YouTube is now narrowing that gap by introducing GIF support for comments and enabling users to post comments while viewing YouTube on television. According to YouTube, the latter feature relies on voice input rather than forcing users to tediously type “LOL” using a remote control.

Another notable addition is a comment moderation feature customized around each creator’s requirements. YouTube already provides a comment moderation filter, but creators may want more precise controls, especially during live streams, when monitoring comments can be more difficult. For the time being, YouTube describes this personalized moderation feature as an “experiment” and has not disclosed specific technical information about how it operates.

Other additions are designed to help creators expand their fan communities while also generating revenue from those audiences. The changes come as advertising is no longer the sole monetization method available to creators for their videos.

YouTube said its Channel Memberships program is being expanded with paid, members-only communities, allowing members to publish posts and open discussions with other highly engaged fans. YouTube will promote these communities alongside other membership options through a new “channel memberships” page for viewers, intended to make it easier to discover communities that align with their interests.

Hype, a feature that allows fans to recommend videos from smaller creators and move up fan leaderboards, is also receiving an addition called “Hype with Jewels.” Previously, fans could “hype” videos for free only three times each week. They can now purchase Jewels, a type of virtual currency, to hype videos additional times, providing support for creators while helping them expand their audiences. Fans interested in recognition may also value the fact that their handles will be permanently displayed in the video’s description.

YouTube said viewers have already hyped more than 75 million unique videos more than 1 billion times.

YouTube’s direct messaging feature, which allows users to share videos with family and friends, will also add group chat support within the next few months. Users will additionally be able to record short, unedited videos and share them within these conversations.

These community-oriented additions were announced alongside other creator-focused tools, including features for A/B testing, live dubbing, AI-assisted video editing, and more.