YouTube has been exploring various formats for videos so its content creators will have more options to choose from. Currently, creators can post full-length videos, shorts, and stories, although the third option will be gone soon.
Removing YouTube Stories
A few years ago, YouTube tried to add short-form videos similar to that of Snapchat and Instagram Stories. It may even have been successful since the streaming giant decided to roll out the feature more widely.
However, if you're one of the creators who post with the format regularly, you can kiss the option goodbye as YouTube is shutting the feature down. By June 26th, creators will no longer be able to post YouTube Stories, as mentioned in Engadget.
That's still a month away, so users can still make the most of the video format. You can post up to the last minute before the feature is permanently removed, and your upload will still be there for seven days, just as it normally does.
It's unclear why YouTube is removing the feature, but it's likely because it already has another short-form video format which is YouTube Shorts. The platform doesn't really need two short video features, and Shorts are more used by creators anyway.
YouTube suggested that content creators could opt for Communities posts if they want to upload quick updates with their followers, although it's more likely that they will simply use Shorts asi t is a more widely-used feature from the platform.
Difference Between Shorts and Stories
Both are short videos that creators can upload, but there are key differences that might explain why YouTube is shutting Stories down. Comparing both features' duration, monetization policy, and availability, Shorts are definitely superior.
For one, YouTube Shorts don't expire. A content creator's upload will stay up as long as they don't delete the video. As opposed to Stories, which will only last for seven days, which granted, is still longer than Stories from other platforms.
YouTube Shorts also has a longer duration for videos which is 60 seconds. This allows creators to post longer videos with more content as opposed to Stories, which only allow a user 15 seconds or less with videos or photos, as pointed out by Ask Any Difference.
Stories are also not accessible to all creators. Users are required to have 10,000 followers or more before they can upload. As for shorts, anyone, regardless of their subscribers or followers, can post whenever they want to.
Many of the content creators on YouTube do what they do for profit, so it's understandable why Stories might not be as appealing as Shorts since there's no way to monetize it, apart from doing their own advertising in separate deals, of course.
It's also harder to view Stories compare to Shorts. The latter is readily available to be watched on a user's feed or watch page, or be found through the platform's search bar, while Stories will only appear if you follow the content creator or if you head to their channel.
