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The updates, which also include like counts and immersive headers, are designed to improve the experience for consumers.
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YouTube announced some updates to its connected TV options, which will make it easier for CTV viewers to interact with more elements of the app.
First, YouTube has expanded access to its conversational, artificial intelligence-powered search tools to smart TVs, which will make it easier for CTV users to use more of YouTube’s discovery features.
As per YouTube: “You can use your remote’s microphone to ask questions about the video you’re watching, or select the sparkle icon to get started.”
YouTube initially announced the addition of AI-powered search on smart TVs last month, but it’s now making it available to more users, providing expanded interaction options for CTV viewers.
YouTube also added a range of additional updates for CTV, including:
- Chapters in Descriptions – CTV viewers can now access a chapter segment panel within the description of a video, making it easier to navigate to the specific moments of a clip.
- Gaming Title Cards – YouTube added gaming title cards in video descriptions, which will link CTV viewers to a dedicated game page where they can access more content related to that game.
- Like Counts on TV – YouTube also added like counts directly to the Watch page on TVs, providing more context into how other viewers are engaging with videos.
- Immersive Artist Headers – Official artist channels will now feature immersive full-screen previews when hovering over the Shuffle and Radio playback buttons.
In addition to these updates, YouTube is also rolling out an improved top channels shelf to highlight more content relevant to the viewer’s interests, and “Up Next” teasers at the end of video clips. It’s also expanding its Stations experiment, which includes curated videos in a continuous stream.
YouTube has also simplified its family groups option for those viewing on their family TV set.
As per YouTube: “We’ve made it easier for everyone in your household to have a safe and personalized YouTube experience. If you are part of a Google Family Group or have a supervised account for your kid or teen, members of your family will now appear on the ‘Who’s Watching’ screen, where you can switch between accounts seamlessly.”
YouTube has seen a big rise in CTV consumption in recent years, with YouTube now arguably rivaling traditional TV stations as a key entertainment alternative.
That provides significant opportunities for the platform, which is why YouTube continues to refine its CTV viewing experience and bring more elements of its main app to couch viewers.