YouTube is a treasure trove of video content. There are 800 million videos on the platform, hosted in 37 million channels. You can spend a year just watching those and get not even halfway done come New Year’s eve. According to reports, YouTube users upload 500 hours of video every minute. That makes the mission of watching all YouTube videos even more impossible to complete.
The video pool on YouTube is not only wide. It is also diverse. You can find a YouTube video for just about any topic. If you want to learn about cooking, there are channels like “Binging with Babish,” “Chef PK,” and “Nick DiGiovanni” you can visit. Are you looking for anime-related videos? “The Anime Man,” “Gigguk,” and “CDawgVA” publish that type of content. And if there’s a specific video game you are interested in, you bet there’s also a YouTube channel for that.
That said, YouTube is a great place to connect with people who share your hobbies and passions. And sometimes, you’d want to share these videos with your other friends.
A way to direct them en masse to the said YouTube videos is through other social media networks.
You may have been able to message people directly from YouTube before. Thus, you can send them the link to the YouTube video you want them to watch. But Google removed the messaging option from YouTube years back. And anyway, messaging your friends one by one is a tedious task.
So, your best option is to share posts on other social media platforms. Copy the link and post it on them. Your friends can then see the link and click it if they are interested.
YouTube is making that easier than ever. It is adding a new feature that lets you share to Snapchat directly. That feature is similar to the Tweet stickers Snapchat launched in 2020.
How People Share YouTube Videos to Snapchat Before
Before the YouTube – Snapchat integration, sharing videos was not that optimized. To do it, you have to tap the Share button on YouTube. Unlike Facebook, Messenger, Skype, and Discord, Snapchat was not yet an option. Thus, you had to choose “Copy Link.” Then, you have to open the Snapchat app manually.
After you launch the Snapchat app, take a photo or a video. Then, tap on the paperclip icon, and paste the link to the YouTube video. Alternatively, you can give Snapchat access to your clipboard.
That will make the video link appear as a resizable banner. It shows a small thumbnail along with the title of the YouTube video.
That gets the job done but leaves something to be desired. If you haven’t noticed, a piece of crucial information is missing. The banner does not tell who is the creator of the video.
Thankfully, the involved social media platforms have decided to improve the experience for their users. Instagram and Snapchat have worked together to make YouTube video stickers on Snapchat.
YouTube Videos as Stories Stickers
More than 2 billion logged-in users visit YouTube every day to watch videos relevant to them. The videos help them develop new skills, discover new things, or learn about the latest news.
Snapchat says that the new YouTube integration will allow users to send their favorite clips and videos to Snapchat. And its platform is where the users are already talking with their friends.
Snapchat says that it believes in the power of communication. And with this partnership, the company is giving its community “infinite ways to express themselves.” They can share what they are watching, and layer on their own creative takes on them.
The new feature will allow you to say goodbye to copy-pasting YouTube links to Stories. A button on YouTube will redirect you directly to Snapchat.
The best thing is it will work regardless of your smartphone’s operating system. This feature is available on both Android and iOS.
How to Share YouTube Videos as a Sticker in Stories
The process is almost the same as before. However, you no longer need to do copy-pasting. It is a lot easier, faster, and more convenient.
First, launch the YouTube app and search for a video you want to share. Open that and tap on the Share button. You will notice an option that was not there before: Snapchat.
Therefore, instead of selecting “Copy Link,” you can select the new option. Snapchat will automatically open after tapping on that button. Furthermore, it will take you directly to the Stories creation screen.
The video will appear on your camera screen as a sticker. It will show the video title and thumbnail. And now, it also includes the name of the creator. The sticker also provides users with a clearer thumbnail.
You can play with the sticker after taking your photo or video. You can resize it, rotate it, and place it anywhere on the screen.
Snapchat users can click on the sticker on your story. That will either open the YouTube app or the youtube website on a browser and bring them directly to the video.
Usefulness for Businesses
Social media websites are great marketing tools. Perhaps you own a business and have a YouTube and a Snapchat account. In that case, this integration is good news for you.
You are probably posting long-form video content on YouTube. Those could be product showcases or how-to videos. You can’t post them on Snapchat because the max length of videos allowed is 60 seconds.
Therefore, you have to funnel your Snapchat friends. Use the video link sticker to drive traffic to your YouTube videos. That will increase the views on your videos and, consequently, increase your sales.
Time is also important for brands. That makes the integration more valuable. You don’t have to copy the link, launch the Snapchat app, and paste the link manually anymore. Now, you can do that in fewer taps. That allows you to move on to the next task quickly. And hence, this feature can improve your marketing strategies.
Stop Ignoring Snapchat, Youtubers!
As the digital landscape evolves, businesses that have a presence on YouTube must recognize the growing importance of Snapchat as a marketing tool. Ignoring this platform is no longer viable, as it represents a missed opportunity to connect with a large and engaged audience.
Much like the way in which the earth’s tectonic plates shift and grind against each other, the social media landscape is constantly in flux. New platforms rise to prominence while older ones fall by the wayside. While still a dominant player, YouTube has seen a decline in the amount of time users spend on the platform. As a result, businesses must be proactive in seeking out new opportunities to engage with their audience.
One such opportunity is Snapchat. This platform boasts a highly engaged and active user base, with over 210 million daily active users. These users are particularly attractive to businesses because they are young, tech-savvy, and highly likely to make purchases. In fact, over 70% of 13-24-year-olds in the United States use Snapchat, making it an ideal platform for reaching the coveted Gen-Z demographic.
Furthermore, Snapchat offers businesses a unique opportunity to build deeper and more authentic relationships with their audience. The platform’s ephemeral nature and emphasis on real-time content allow for more raw and unfiltered communication with users. This contrasts with YouTube, where businesses often have to craft polished, high-production-value videos.
But the real strength of Snapchat lies in its ability to drive action. With features like Snap Map and Snap Ad, businesses can create interactive and immersive experiences that encourage users to purchase or visit physical locations. These capabilities are particularly useful for brick-and-mortar businesses looking to drive foot traffic.
In conclusion, businesses with a presence on YouTube should not ignore the potential of Snapchat as a marketing tool. Its large and engaged user base, especially among the Gen-Z demographic, and its ability to drive action presents a valuable opportunity to reach new audiences and build deeper, more authentic relationships with current customers. As the social media landscape continues to shift and change, businesses must adapt and embrace new platforms like Snapchat if they hope to stay relevant and competitive. Much like how plate tectonics shape the earth, social media platforms shape the digital landscape, businesses need to stay agile and embrace the change to remain competitive.