YouTube Redesign Focuses On Search
Maybe you noticed (and you probably did) – YouTube redesigned the header of their website. It now focuses on search. Granted, YouTube is owned by Google this seems like a logical move. The YouTube search also now has advertisements and what YouTube is calling Featured Videos on the side of the results. Very similar to actual Google results.
The screenshots below will show you the difference:
Old Design:
New Design:
As you can clearly see, the new header is very Google-esq. A longer search bar and everything is link-based (except for the one image for private messages). Typical Google simplicity and design. You can tell Google is hoping more people will spend time searching YouTube for videos rather than relaying on link-sharing and viral videos. A new improved YouTube search will prove useful.
If the new search can make finding videos relating to the subject you’re searching easier, more people will use it. If more people use the new search there will be more ad impressions and therefore more ad dollars will be flowing in. The featured videos will also be an interesting way for YouTube to monetize. Think of it as Sponsored Results for YouTube.
Overall, this is probably just one of the many moves YouTube will be taking in the near future to help monetize better.