Seeing familiar faces on YouTube through Google+

As you surf through YouTube's decorative vegetable carvings, wingsuit flying videos and Hindi lessons, you might start to notice some familiar names and faces. That's because today we're adding a feature that lets you sign up for a new YouTube channel using your existing Google+ profile. You can now use your Google+ profile name and photo on a new YouTube channel, giving you one consistent identity across platforms when uploading videos, sharing, commenting and other public activities.

Today’s update gives the more than 100 million of you on Google+, who are already able to watch YouTube in Hangouts and share videos with your Circles, another way to bring the best of Google+ directly into your YouTube experience.

Here’s what you’ll see if you sign up for a new YouTube channel and you already have a Google+ profile. If you want this to be your channel name and photo, just click OK, “I’m ready to continue.”



If you want to create a YouTube channel that’s different from your Google+ profile (e.g. “KatnissForPresident”), click “Create a username,” and you’ll have the option to create a YouTube channel as usual. It looks like this:



This is currently available on the English version of YouTube and we’re looking to roll it out across languages in coming months. Also, if you already have a YouTube channel and want to connect it to your Google+ profile—stay tuned. We’ll be following feedback on this update and hope to add more features that bring the best of Google+ into YouTube.

Trevor O’Brien, product manager, recently watched “Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run.”

Welcome to your new YouTube channel

Making it easier to connect with the content you love was the aim of the redesigned homepage and channel layouts we launched in December of last year. You can now start with a video you love, discover and follow a whole channel of great content from that creator or curator, and organize all the channels you love in a homepage that's always updated with the new videos you'll want to watch.

Since these updates, the data shows we’re onto something:

• Daily unique visits to channels have increased by 60 percent since December 2011
• Daily net subscriptions are up 50 percent since December 2011

Today is the next step in the new YouTube look and feel we launched in December, where all channels will be updated to the new layout. What does this mean for you? Well, for starters, you’ll now see every channel organized into one of four channel templates customized to suit different types of creators:



We’ve also built new ways to help you stay more engaged with the channels you love. For example, the Channel Feed shows you all the videos uploaded to a channel, as well as playlists and Liked videos across YouTube. The channel feed makes it clear what you’ll get if you subscribe. When you do, this feed will also be published on your homepage so you can keep up with all the latest activity from your favorite channels.



On the topic of features — a big thank you for all your feedback that we’ve incorporated over the past six months. You’ve helped us learn what works and what needs improvement as we evolved the design over time. Your feedback continues to drive updates and new features, and for all of you creators, here are a few updates to note:

• You wanted the ability to feature content prominently so we added a Featured tab and subsequently improved it with more templates and a search feature to help you program it more easily
• You told us having Favorites more accessible was important to you, so we turned it into a customizable part of your channel
• You wanted to link your +Page or your Google+ Profile to your channel, so we added this option

If you’re a YouTube creator, check out our post from last week with tips on making your channel look awesome, as well as the YouTube Creator Blog for regular updates on ways to improve your channel and connect with other creators.

The YouTube Team

How to upgrade to the new YouTube channels look

You work hard on your channel and your videos, so we’re doing the same on making channels look their best on YouTube. That’s why in December, we launched an updated look and new templates for channels, as well as features across the site to keep you better connected with the channels you enjoy.

Like a great symphony, these channels and features work best when everyone is playing on the same page. So that’s why we’re encouraging you to update your channel to the new look, and by March 7 we’ll be updating everyone. If you have a YouTube channel and 15 minutes today, select the “Try the new design” button on the top of your channel page that will give you step-by-step instructions for updating.

The step-by-step was a good start, but I want more info. Whatcha got?

• Use this Checklist to make sure you have the main parts of your channel covered
• Want to do more? The YouTube Creator Playbook has a special section just for improving your channel, as well as a ton of YouTube tips from the best in the biz
• Still have questions? Stop by the Help Center for more answers

Why the change?
We know how hard it is to find great content on YouTube (you’re uploading 60 hours of video per minute), so when viewers find your channel we want to help you keep them there, and keep them coming back. All uploaders are not the same, so now you have four different templates to best suit your needs: Creator, Blogger, Network and Everything. With the old design, it wasn’t always easy for viewers to browse your channel. However, we loved parts of the old channels design too (heck, many hours and Red Bulls were consumed to build it), like your ability to feature content. So we’ve enabled a new Featured Tab that offers you the ability to keep doing that.

I’m freaking out — please don’t change this!
We know change is never easy, especially when it’s something you’ve spent lots of time and effort on. Even more, there are human beings at YouTube who look at every piece of feedback, bucket them into categories, and work with product teams to address them each week. So whenever you see a blue "Send Feedback" link, know that that's not some decorative ornament. It's for real. So give your feedback because we (humans) need it to keep creating ways for YouTube to showcase your channels.

The YouTube team

Christchurch Earthquake — One Year Later: live streaming the memorial service on YouTube

Cross posted from the Google New Zealand Blog.

On the one year anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake, the New Zealand Herald is providing full coverage of the city’s memorial services on YouTube, commemorating the lives that were lost and those who are still affected by the tragedy. The live-stream of the memorial services starts today on NZ Herald’s YouTube channel.

On February 22, 2011, Christchurch was rocked by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake, killing 185 people and devastating much of the historic city centre. The state broadcaster’s raw coverage of the immediate aftermath was one of the most-viewed videos on YouTube on that day, as millions of people around the world stopped to watch the tragedy unfold.

Christchurch, is New Zealand’s second-largest city, located on the South Island. The idyllic town is known for its friendly people, abundant gardens, and historic stone buildings. And its convenient location makes an easy gateway to mountains, beaches — and Hobbits.

Quakes have continued in Christchurch over the last year. Despite this hardship, we remain inspired by the great resilience of the city’s residents, who have worked hard toward rebuilding their hometown and keeping alive the memory of the tragedy.

Richard North, a YouTuber from Christchurch, recently watched "John Key on Christchurch anniversary."

YouTube Release Notes: More ways to communicate

You keep adding and watching more videos, so we’re working to keep adding more ways for you to watch, share and enjoy the channels and videos on YouTube. This week in Release Notes we’ve got a new way to promote your Google+ profile on YouTube, more options in the Annotations Editor, posting to your Channel Feed and more.

Google+ profile on YouTube channel
Want to share your Google+ profile or Google+ Page on your YouTube channel? We’ve added a feature to let you promote your presence on G+. We’re looking for other ways to bring the benefits of Google+ to your YouTube channel, so as always please give us your feedback!



Post videos, playlists to your own feed
You can now share videos and playlists in your Channel Feed by posting a Channel Bulletin. When you’re on your Feed tab you’ll see a box “Post to Feed,” where you can enter a comment and add a link to share a video or a playlist. When you’ve posted the bulletin, it will show up in your Channel Feed with your comment below the video. Viewers who are subscribed to your channel will be notified when you post to your feed in their homepage feed.

 

Homepage and Channel Feeds
After experiments and lots of your feedback, we’re releasing an update to how events are displayed in the feed. The update focuses on three main changes: (1) the video title is more prominent for upload and sharing events, (2) aggregated events now feature a “+more” button which will bring more attention to the event than the previously smaller notification and (3) adding videos to a playlist has a new cleaner styling.

Before:                                                                        After:
 

Annotations
Customizing your videos is easier with our new annotations features. We’ve been adding more options to the Annotations Editor like a new annotation type, a full color palette and a new timeline. We’ve also added annotation styles, which lets you choose a templated design to apply to your videos. You can quickly pick a design for your annotation and apply it your video. Start using these today in the Editor by clicking the arrow next to any upload in the Video Manager.



The YouTube Team recently watched, “KevJumba vs. NY Yankee Nick Swisher Ping Pong FaceOFF.”

More sports channels kick off on YouTube

Hot on the heels of the launch of four new action sports channels we’ve added more hard-hitting channels for all the YouTube sports fanatics out there. See the latest controversy in the world of soccer, watch insider interviews with basketball pros, or get smart with in-depth sports documentaries and analysis.

• Bleacher Report: From Linsanity to Tebowing, Bleacher Report has your sports fix covered. Bleacher Report's channel showcases the fun and entertaining side of sports with their flagship daily show BR5, provides a full throttle fill of football with NFL Draft 365 and their college football recruiting show Full Ride. The documentary series Why We Watch uncovers the great stories that dot the sports landscape. With in-depth opinion and analysis, top athlete and celeb appearances and much more, Bleacher Report will get you a front row seat for the latest in sports.

• KickTV: Kick is where soccer fanatics -- football for all you global diehards -- can get their regular dose of “the beautiful game”. Every day, Kick’s roster of international stars and pundits debate the hot-button topics on The Mixer. On The Whip, Kick’s experts highlight the good, the bad, and the ugly from around YouTube’s football world. History buffs can dip into the past to catch full matches on the Kick Classics channel, while aspiring stars can learn the game in the Academy channel. From London to Los Angeles, Buenos Aires to Barcelona, Kick will be covering the world’s most popular sport with unparalleled breadth and depth.

• The NOC: Bringing you the world’s most famous sports stars like you’ve never seen them before, the NOC is a 24-hour channel devoted to athlete lifestyle and comedy. Original shows include Say What, a funny take on what athletes say in social media. The Ice Bucket offers an inside look at how athletes unwind off the field. And FaceOff features athletes competing against celebrities and YouTube stars. Stay tuned for new comedy sketches every month.

Just program these new channels into your homepage now to get some of the latest and greatest on sports!

Ty Barnes, strategic partner development manager, recently watched “Lin for the Win...Jeremy Lin hits game winner in Toronto!”

Music Tuesday: Live music, original music channels and more

We’ve quite the week of music ahead of us on YouTube, including two live performances and a new selection of channels bringing you closer to the music you love.

Jason Mraz and Sleigh Bells live
It’s February 14 and Jason Mraz wants to be your Valentine. He’ll be dropping into YouTube’s New York HQ to perform a selection of his favorite love songs as part of the YouTube Presents series. Tune in at 1:30pm PT.

And there’s more! Brooklyn-based noise pop duo Sleigh Bells have been wowing audiences with their debut album Treats and live performances. We’ll be giving you a front row seat at their show this Friday night at Terminal 5 in NYC.  Catch them on the new Bowery Presents YouTube Channel at 7:30pm PT. And speaking of the Bowery Presents channel...

Noisey, Pitchfork and Bowery come to YouTube
In October, we told you even more great folks were coming to YouTube, and we’ve already seen new channels from areas like action sports, education and autos. Over the next months we’ll be introducing you to the new kids on the YouTube music block and highlighting our favorite shows. To get you started, check-out three new channels entering the world this week, bringing you exclusive performances, behind-the-scenes interviews, news and entertainment.

Vice’s Noisey YouTube Channel lets music fans watch live music, follow the bands they love, and discover the artists who are on the rise — all with that unmistakable Vice feeling. We’re already digging the acerbic reviews from Record Store Dude.

.
Since 2008,  Pitchfork.tv, has produced award-winning video, documenting independent music as it happened. Beginning February 17, they bring a host of new shows exclusively on their YouTube channel, including Pitchfork Weekly, +1 and Sixty Seconds Left, featuring 1-minute snapshots of artists doing crazy things.


Along with live broadcasts from Bowery’s iconic venues, the new Bowery Presents YouTube Channel will be be a hub for music films and intimate acoustic performances from the industry's leading and emerging artists.

 
If you like any of these channels, subscribe so you can get all their new videos and updates on your homepage, and see even more tunes on the YouTube music page.

Tim Partridge, music marketing manager, recently watched “Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance WIth Somebody.”

Introducing our February “On The Rise” Nominees

Each month, we identify four YouTube Partners whose Channels have experienced significant growth and are on the cusp of really taking off for our On The Rise program. Our February nominees include both entertainers and educators. Need a car repair tip or fun baking ideas? Want to learn about music production, or watch a drawing come to life? Look no further than the Partner videos below.

So, where do you come in? One of these partners will be featured on the YouTube homepage, and you can help them get there. Check out their videos below and vote for your favorite in the top right corner of this blog. In addition to your votes, each Channel will be evaluated on criteria such as audience engagement and Channel optimization to decide which Channel will be featured on the homepage, Facebook and Twitter at the end of the month.

In past months, Partners like ThePortraitArt and CaliforniaTravelTips have seen tremendous growth in their audience thanks to your support. You have until February 17th at 5pm PT to vote for your favorite Channel. Check back to see who secured the homepage feature on February 28th.

marydoodles
Hailing from Los Angeles, Mary’s day job involves creating props and costumes for Epic Rap Battles of History. Her real hobby, though, is drawing - she’s been doing it her whole life. Check out Mary’s channel to witness her talent in motion.



yoyomax12
Need creative baking ideas for Valentine’s day, birthdays, or other special occasions? Whether you’re an experienced baker or just learning to bake, Tammy’s channel offers easy-to-follow instructional videos packed with fun ideas and recipes for cookies, bars, and cupcakes.



wwwboyinabandcom
Dave is passionate about music. He’s in a band, and he’s dedicated his YouTube channel to hosting free music production tutorials. Listen to his original music, learn how to set up a home studio, read music software/hardware reviews, and more on this Telford, England, native’s channel.



EricTheCarGuy
Eric is a certified master technician dedicated to the art of auto repair and helping the “do-it-yourselfer.” He attended art school, but then shifted his focus to automotives and hasn’t looked back. Check out his channel to learn how to drive a stick shift, replace a fuel pump, or shim a starter.



If you’re interested in checking out more rising YouTube Partners, visit our On The Rise channel, which features nominees, trending partners and monthly blog winners.

Devon Storbeck and Christine Wang, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “9 Year Old Jonny Mizzone - How Mountain Girls Can Love - Sleepy Man Banjo Boys.”

Rev the engine: Motor Trend and Drive now on YouTube

If it’s got wheels and a motor, it’s on YouTube. This week we’re going full throttle with two new original channels dedicated to the wide and wild world of motors — Motor Trend and Drive.

The Motor Trend YouTube Channel, created by Source Interlink Media, brings together eight shows from automotive brands you know and love. Like a never-ending auto expo (without the lines), expect to see original programming from the folks behind Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Motorcyclist, Lowrider, FourWheeler, Dirt Rider, Car Craft, Automobile, Import Tuner and more. From speed to style, the Motor Trend Channel will have something for every car lover, and they’ll be listening closely to your feedback to learn what you want to see more of.



If getting under the hood is only the beginning for you, check out the new Drive YouTube Channel, which celebrates the rich culture of cars. From the road to races to factories to studios, Drive will take you as far behind the scenes as as possible. Expect to see news, reviews and commentary from names like Chris Harris, Mike Spinelli, Leo Parente, Alex Roy and more.



With millions of you already coming to YouTube for all things auto, we hope you buckle up and enjoy these new channels!

Graham Bennett, original programming content partnerships, recently watched “Cavitation.”

Get in the DJ booth with Tiësto

Ever been among the thousands of screaming fans rocking out to Tiësto and wanted to see what life is like from the other side of the DJ booth? Check out “In the Booth,” a new series on YouTube that documents the world-traveling, beat-making life of Tiësto, aka Tijs Michiel Verwest. The first episode is available today:



If you add the Channel to your homepage guide you’ll regularly get exclusive commentary and personal insight into Tiësto’s life and work, venues around the world, festival life on and off-stage, and more clubbing than you could ever fit into just one night.

New episodes kickoff today on Tiësto’s YouTube Channel, with more coming every week. And remember you can get into even more great electronic and other music on YouTube Music, with new tunes every Tuesday.

Adam Relis, Content Partnerships manager, recently watched “Mission: Impossible - Theme (Tiësto Remix).”