YouTube Introduces Option to Hide End-of-Video Recommendation Pop-Ups
YouTube has announced a new feature that allows viewers to hide the recommendation pop-ups that typically appear at the end of videos. Users can now tap a newly added “Hide” button located in the top-right corner of the video player to remove these pop-ups for the duration of the current video.
This feature is designed to enhance viewing experience by preventing end screens from obscuring the final moments of videos, a common complaint among users.
Functionality and Limitations of the Hide Feature
The hide option is limited to the current video only, meaning users must activate it each time they want to conceal end screens on different videos. If viewers wish to restore the end screen, a “Show” button will be available in the same location.
Removal of Hover-to-Subscribe Button on Video Watermarks
In addition to the hide feature, YouTube is removing the Subscribe button that appears when users hover their cursor over a video’s branded watermark. The company cited redundancy as the reason, given that a Subscribe button is already prominently displayed below the video player.
This change aims to streamline the interface and reduce visual clutter during video playback.
User Feedback and Impact on Creators
YouTube attributes these updates to direct user feedback, highlighting a demand for fewer distractions and a clearer focus on the content being watched.
Regarding content creators, YouTube reassures that the option to add end screens remains unchanged. The company expects these modifications to have a negligible effect on video performance and subscriber growth.
“Our experiments indicate that allowing users to hide end screens results in less than a 1.5% decrease in views generated from end screens.”
Furthermore, YouTube notes that fewer than 0.05% of channel subscriptions originate from the hover-to-subscribe button on video watermarks, justifying its removal.
FinOracleAI — Market View
YouTube’s introduction of an option to hide end-of-video recommendation pop-ups reflects a broader industry trend towards enhancing user control and reducing interface distractions. This update is likely to improve viewer satisfaction without significantly impacting creator monetization or engagement metrics.
- Opportunities: Increased user satisfaction and longer watch sessions due to reduced distractions.
- Risks: Slight reduction in end screen-driven views, potentially affecting creators reliant on recommended content flow.
- Streamlined interface may encourage adoption of other user-centric features.
- Minimal impact on subscription growth due to removal of hover Subscribe button.
Impact: Neutral to mildly positive for the platform, balancing enhanced user experience with minimal disruption to creator performance.
