YouTube creators will no longer be able to use Stories starting from June 26, 2023, as the platform’s parent company, Google, shifts its focus to other features like Community posts and Shorts. YouTube Stories, which were introduced in 2017 as Reels, allowed creators with over 10,000 subscribers to share temporary updates and behind-the-scenes content with their audience.

However, Youtube highlighted that the feature failed to gain significant traction, with limited access and low promotion. In light of this, the video-sharing platform has decided to retire Stories and encourage creators to utilize alternative options that provide more engagement and reach.

With the discontinuation of Stories, YouTube announced that it is promoting Community posts as an alternative for creators to share lightweight updates, engage in conversations, and promote their content. Community posts offer various features such as rich editing tools, polls, quizzes, filters, and stickers.

Notably, posts on average generate many more comments and likes compared to Stories, making them a more effective tool for audience interaction.

As first reported by The New York Times, similar to the generation of revenue for creators by Tiktok, Youtube shorts joined the YouTube Partner Program, which allows creators to earn money from advertising.

YouTube Shorts, the platform’s response to TikTok, is also being emphasized as a way for creators to create short-form video content and reach a wider audience. Shorts have proven to be highly successful, with creators experiencing many more subscribers through this format than through Stories.

YouTube continues to enhance the Shorts experience by introducing engaging features like the ability to reply to comments using Shorts.

YouTube’s Shift in Focus

The decision to discontinue Stories aligns with YouTube’s efforts to prioritize key areas for creators’ success. The platform acknowledges that Stories failed to garner significant adoption compared to other engagement tools like Community posts and Shorts.

This is evident as one Twitter user acknowledged that he had no idea Youtube had stories.

YouTube recognizes the popularity and growth of Shorts and aims to invest in formats that benefit creators and facilitate audience connections.

As the landscape of social media evolves, platforms have been exploring short-form vertical video formats popularized by TikTok. YouTube’s move to retire Stories reflects a broader trend in the industry, with other platforms such as LinkedIn and Netflix also abandoning their respective Story features.

YouTube seeks to adapt to the changing preferences of creators and users by focusing on formats that demonstrate higher engagement and potential for growth.

YouTube said it will alert creators about the discontinuation of Stories through various channels, including in-app messages, forum posts, reminders in YouTube Studio, and Creator Insider videos. Creators will have until June 26 to create new Stories, while existing Stories will remain visible for seven days before being removed.

In contrast to the temporary nature of Stories, Community posts provide a lasting presence on a creator’s channel, allowing them to share updates, engage with their audience, and promote their content effectively. Meanwhile, Shorts offer an immersive short-form video experience that captivates users and drives subscriber growth.

Other social media platforms that have abandoned Stories

YouTube is not the only platform abandoning Stories. Netflix previously experimented with a similar feature called “Extras” in its mobile app, allowing users to view videos and photos from popular shows. However, the company later shifted its focus to vertical videos, launching features like “Fast Laughs” for short-form comedy videos and a vertical video feature for kids. LinkedIn also discontinued its Stories feature in 2021.

(Source: Netflix)

Twitter’s Fleets, which were ephemeral posts similar to Stories, were also shut down within a year due to low usage. The social media platform’s decision to axe Fleets indicated its struggle to encourage users to post regularly instead of just consuming others’ tweets.

As YouTube evolves, it continues to invest in innovative tools that support creators in expanding their reach and delivering valuable content to their audiences.

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