When you think of social media, what comes to mind? The classics, right? Facebook, Twitter, Instagram — maybe even Pinterest or YouTube (although those channels are more search engines than social… but we digress). And while YouTube may have been on your list, we bet the YouTube Community tab probably didn’t even cross your mind as an option.

And it’s understandable why it wouldn’t. While YouTube itself is very popular, the Community tab is its lesser known younger sibling. But big things come in small packages — and we think you should give this tiny tab the attention it deserves, especially if you’re a brand interested in building an engaged community.

What is the Community Tab?

The YouTube Community tab is a feature that allows creators to interact with their audience and share content outside of their videos. It’s essentially a social media feed within the platform, where creators can post updates, polls, photos and even exclusive videos for their subscribers. This feature helps build community engagement and loyalty among viewers.

How to Get the Community Tab on YouTube

To automatically get access to the YouTube Community tab, you must meet certain eligibility criteria. It’s pretty simple — you just need to have at least 500 subscribers. Once you hit that milestone, the tab should appear within a week.

If you haven’t yet reached 500 subscribers, you can still gain access to the Community tab if you have unlocked access to Advanced features. You’ll need to prove you’re not a scammer or a spammer first, by either having the channel history to back yourself up, video verification or by providing a valid ID. You should then have your Community tab within 48 hours.

Why is the Community Tab Good for Brands?

If you’re a brand looking to connect with your audience and  build a sense of community, this tab is a powerful tool to have in your arsenal for a variety of reasons:

• Increased engagement: The Community tab allows brands to engage with their audience in a more personal and interactive way. By creating polls, asking for feedback and sharing behind-the-scenes content, brands can encourage their followers to interact with them, building stronger relationships that can lead to increased loyalty
   
• Better promotion: Brands can use the Community tab to promote their latest products or services, share exclusive deals or discounts with their community and even collaborate with other creators or businesses. This can help increase visibility and drive more traffic to their website or other social media channels
   
• Improved customer service: With the ability to post updates and respond to comments in real-time, brands can use the Community tab as a customer service channel. They can quickly address any questions or concerns from their audience and provide helpful information that could turn potential customers into loyal fans

Overall, the YouTube Community tab provides brands with an opportunity to build stronger connections with their audience while also promoting their products or services in an engaging and unique way.

Our First-Hand Experience

So what do we think about the Community tab? What are its pros and cons? Here are some key takeaways we’ve found by using the Community tab:

Benefits of YouTube Community

• It sets you apart from the crowd — Not every channel has a Community tab and not every brand who has one makes use of it
  
   
• It gives your most dedicated followers more — And these are the people who are most likely to engage with your posts!
   
• It’s a good way to stay visible to frequent viewers who don’t yet subscribe — Community tab posts will show up in frequent viewers’ YouTube feeds, putting you in front of them more often. This will keep you at the forefront of their minds and will, hopefully, help to convert them to subscribing

Cons of YouTube Community

• It’s not so well known — People aren’t as aware of it, which means that when they think about interacting with your socials, the Community tab may not come to mind
  
   
• Analytics are minimal — The Community tab’s analytics section is a little lacking. Whereas seemingly endless metrics are offered for other social platforms (and even for YouTube videos), you’re limited to a select few for the Community tab. These are typically toplines ones, such as post impressions, comments and likes

TL;DR: The Community tab has some definite benefits and is a great tool for brands looking to build a sense of community. However, at this point it seems like a ‘nice to have’ addition to your social strategy, as opposed to a ‘must have’ — like LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter

Are you interested in trying out the YouTube Community tab for your own business? We can help! We’ve got talented experts in all areas of digital marketing, from social to SEO, who would love to lend a helping hand. Get in touch today to see what we can do for your business.