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Youtube was created in 2005 by Steve Chen1, Chad Hurley2, and Jawed Karim3, and then sold to Google4 for $1.65 billion in 2006. It is a platform that has exploded for the past decade. What was once a small video-hosting website has transformed into a massive media platform. Every hour, more than a thousand hours of video are uploaded onto the site and millions of users visit it every day. It’s only natural that YouTube creates an environment that keeps those users there for a long period of time.
Front Page
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The Front Page is YouTube's main hub, a place where nearly every user will go to when they first arrive. That being the case, it acts as a directory for users to
easily navigate to the content that they want to see. For a viewer without an account, the page will usually default to the most popular videos of the day or week.
In its effort to help with navigation and use of the YouTube, the Main Page has several clusters of functions arranged around the page.
A: Logo
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This area serves two functions. The three horizontal bars toggle the side bar (B) and the YouTube icon works as a link to refresh the page. The bars and the logo are
present on every page of the site to make navigation easier. The logo can also be found at the bottom of the page so the user does not have to scroll all the way back
to to the top of the page to the first one.
B: Subscription Bar
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| Subscription bar of a logged-in user |
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| subscription bar of a unlogged-in user |
This menu bar appears on the left side of the screen. Its appearance changes depending on whether or not the YouTube user has an account or is logged into their account.
The image on the far right shows what the menu bar looks like when the user is not logged in. It makes finding popular videos easier to find by providing the option to
explore the videos the user has already watched by clicking the "History" button. It also presents a second category entitled "The Best of Youtube," which presents a
variety of genres the user can explore. It shows that you can add channels to browse immediately or later and, finally, reminds you that you can sign in to view even
more options.
The image on the left shows what the menu bar looks like when the user is logged into their account. It looks similar to the bar on a page where the user is not logged in,
however, it includes the option to view your own channel, trending videos, and the channels to which the users have subscribed. Below the "Library" section, the menu
bar displays the user's "Subscriptions." This is an easy way for the user to stay updated on their favorite YouTubers' latest videos.
C: Settings and Policies
In this bar that appears at the bottom of every page a user visits, the YouTube logo appears again, followed by a series of drop-down menus that allow users to change their language preferences, current location, the option to turn on/off Restricted Mode5, which allows users to “screen out potentially mature content that you may prefer not to see or don’t want others in your family to see.” The “History” button let the user choose to view previously-watched videos. The “(?) Help” button leads users to a pop-up menu that features a search bar, the ability to send feedback, then a list of popular options: Disable or enable Restricted Mode, Change video information & settings, Delete videos, Troubleshoot audio or video issues, and Manage advanced channel settings. The final option in the pop-up menu allows the reader to browse all help articles.
The row below presents options to view YouTube’s “About” page, their “Press” section, which shows YouTube campaigns, statistics, B-roll (LINK), YouTube blog and trends, the Developer blog, and options to visit their Google page, Facebook page, and Twitter. At the bottom of the page, it shows users how to connect with YouTube’s Media Contacts. It shows that you can send questions to YouTube Press by sending an email to moc.ebutuoy|sserp#moc.ebutuoy|sserp.
This row also lets readers view information on YouTube’s Copyright policies6. This is a way to educate users on how to responsibly manage their accounts. The “Creator”7 button leads users to a Creator Hub that gives users tips on how to improve their channel. YouTube also offers the information about advertising on their site, building a business on YouTube, and the option to view the +YouTube page, which is connected with Google+.
The final row at the bottom lets users read about the terms, privacy policy, and safety information. It gives the options to help YouTube improve by sending feedback and testing new features. Clicking this last option leads to TestTube8, where users can test the developers’ experimental features. According to this page, those who sign up can “participate in user experience research studies and get rewarded for [their] time.”
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D: Videos
This section of the page appears differently depending on whether or not a user is logged into their account. If the user is not logged in, this section displays genres and trending videos. If the user is logged in, the page displays videos for the user to continue watching, videos they put on a “Save for Later” list, videos by other YouTubers, and recommendations based on videos you have previously watched. If the user is logged in and clicks a video from this page, the recommendations will change upon returning to this front page.
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E: Alternate Tabs
The “Home” tab is the page users open to when they enter the site. For those not logged in or without an account, their only other option from this section is the “Trending” tab. This leads directly to a page of videos that YouTube users and viewers have viewed the most. When a user is logged in, they have an additional “Subscriptions” tab. This navigates to a page that displays videos by YouTubers the user has subscribed to.
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F: Google User Account
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For users with a YouTube account connected to their google email address, the arrow button provides a shortcut for the user to upload their own content. If not signed in, the user is directed to a log-in page. The sign in button directs users to that same log-in page.
If the user is already logged in, the upload arrow button appears before a bell button which allows the user to view their account’s notifications. Clicking this icon brings a drop-down menu that shows when the YouTubers you have subscribed to have uploaded new videos. This menu also allows users to manage their notification settings. Users can choose if they want to receive emails about YouTubers they have subscribed to, their own YouTube activity, or just emails with required service announcements.
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