Important Info for YouTube Developers

Hi everyone,



We've been working on a new API based on the Google data protocol over the last few months, and our first version has now been released into the wild. If you want to build a cool YouTube mashup or programmatically add YouTube content to your site, this is a great time to get started with our API.



We've also set up a migration guide for all the developers who are using the old REST/XML-RPC API. The Legacy API will continue to work for at least a year -- through August 30, 2008, but we encourage developers to switch early and to give feedback on the new API.



Please head over to the API Announcement Blog for more info on this release. We also welcome new members to the developer community, so come join the forum if you're interested.



Cheers,


The YouTube Team

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Site Update 8/22

Hey all, it's that time once again for your friendly YouTube site update announcement.

This time we've got something a little extra special for your consumption.

Enter..."YouTube News," presented by pzottolo.







And...scene.



Now, for those of you bookworm types who aren't really into videos (um, what?), here's a breakdown of these exciting changes we've been working on for the last couple of weeks.



RECENT RATINGS ON VIDEOS



We've added a new section on channel pages that shows the last five videos you've rated. You can turn on this option in your profile by checking the "Videos Rated Box" in the Channel Design area. Once you've updated that setting, your ratings and channel link will also display on the watch pages of all videos you've rated.



COMMENT RATINGS



Check out the new comment moderation system which allows you to provide positive or negative votes on all video comments. Just click on the thumbs-up/thumbs-down. You can also use the dropdown above them to choose which comments you want displayed, based on their overall ratings.



VIDEO SEARCH WITHIN CHANNELS



Browsing for a specific video within a channel is now possible! If a channel has more than 9 videos uploaded, a search field appears in the "Videos" section.



VIDEO TOOLBOX REDESIGN



This page has been completely redesigned. It is not only more user-friendly (we hope), but also it showcases a whole slew of videos and articles containing helpful tips related to all aspects of creating videos. Whether you're looking to make something basic or a super snazzy finished product, our revamped Video Toolbox will guide you along the way.



As always, we invite you to share your feedback with us. Feel free to leave a comment, post a video or shoot us an email.



That's a wrap,

The YouTube Team

More about → Site Update 8/22

You Drive the YouTube Experience

Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed that we've been working with select partners to improve YouTube's presentation of advertising on their videos in a manner that brings you creative, compelling content and should also increase revenue flow to artists and content owners.



So what's new? Today we're offering select partners the ability to incorporate YouTube InVideo ads into their content. These are animated overlays that appear on the bottom 20 percent of a video. If you're interested by what you see there, clicking on the overlay launches a deeper interactive video ad that we think is relevant and entertaining. (The video you were watching is temporarily paused.) If you choose not to click on the overlay, it will simply disappear, so that you're in full control of your YouTube experience.



So keep an eye out for this new feature, and please do send us your suggestions and feedback. As always, we're looking to improve the experience with you in mind.



Yours,

The YouTube Team

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YouTube User Gatherings

Imagine hanging out in "real life" with friends and personalities you've met here on YouTube. Ambitious users have been getting together and creating user gatherings for some time now. These events began as small groups of only a few users collaborating on videos and have since evolved into larger organized events like 'As One' (Los Angeles & San Francisco), '777' (New York & Berlin) and the upcoming 'DCTube' (9/8/07) and 'SouthTube' (Marietta, GA 9/22/07 - 9/23/07) gatherings. The fact that these events exist shows exactly how real the YouTube community is. Take a look at this footage from previous YouTube gatherings and what’s in store for upcoming events:







We've been following the progression of these meet-ups and are impressed with what everyone has contributed toward making them an inspiring experience for all who have attended. Since you, the YouTube community, have organized and maintained them completely up to this point, we'd like to get an idea of how everyone feels about these and what your vision might be for any future gatherings. For example...



• What are a few things you enjoy most about the general concept?



• Is there anything you don't necessarily like about the previous/any upcoming gatherings?



• How many gatherings a year do you think is a good number total, and how many do you think you'd probably attend if given a good amount of notice?



• How would you like YouTube to support these meet-ups?



We encourage you to post a comment on this blog or a response to this video offering your feedback.



Thanks in advance,


The YouTube Team

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Subscriber Counts Fix

Hey there!



A lot of you told us about a problem recently where subscribers were disappearing from your channels. We realize how hard you work to build your audience on YouTube, so we are happy to announce that last night the bug was fixed and subscriber numbers for the impacted accounts are currently being updated. Many thanks to everyone for letting us know what's on your mind - it really does help.



Talk to you soon,


The YouTube Team

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Great Instructional Videos on YouTube

Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the guitar? Need quick-and-easy steps for changing a tire? Want to silkscreen the coolest T-shirt ever? You can find videos like these, and more, in the goldmine that is HowTo + DIY, the category for people who have special skills or knowledge to share with the world. Check out these videos to see what we mean:







Some of the best HowTo + DIY videos are made by our Gurus, which is the name/account type for mavens of YouTube. Browse through some of the top channels and find the Gurus that make the kind of videos you're looking for. Check out ellaskins, whose numerous videos tell you everything you need to know about becoming a DJ, or look at TheWoodWhisperer, who breaks down seemingly daunting projects and makes them manageable for anyone.



So, are you a pro on a subject and want to teach the YouTube community about it? Then become a Guru and show us what you've got! If you have any questions about anything related to YouTube's HowTo + DIY universe, send them to HowTo@youtube.com. We're always looking for the next fun and/or instructional undertaking!



Your Novice Craftster,


Sadia aka Sublinx


YouTube HowTo + DIY

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YouTube: The World's Largest Townhall

Ever since we launched our You Choose '08 platform in February, you've been using it to communicate directly with the U.S. presidential candidates on the issues and ideas you care about most. And they've been talking back, posting videos that answer your questions, as well as unique footage from the campaign trail. None of this would have been possible without you making YouTube such a vibrant place for political dialogue.



Now we're taking that discussion further with an updated version of our You Choose '08 platform, where you'll see candidate content organized by channel and by the issues central to the election. Compare and contrast where the candidates stand on things like healthcare and the war in Iraq; then upload your own ideas, opinions, and questions.



By using this platform to engage the candidates, you're helping to break down many of the traditional barriers in American politics, making it easier for politicians and voters to connect with one another on a level platform. Let us know what you think about the new platform – and of course about the issues themselves.



Yours,

Steve G.

YouTube News and Politics

More about → YouTube: The World's Largest Townhall

Choose Your Own Thumbnail Image

We're always happy when we can make improvements to the site based on our users' ideas and requests. So many of you asked for the ability to choose thumbnail images for the videos you upload to YouTube that, well, we just had to do it! On the My Videos page just select the video, click "Edit Video Info," then select one of three images available on the Video Still section at the top. After you update the video info, your selected thumbnail will appear on the site. (Please note: in some cases it may take up to six hours for the image to appear.)



The thumbnail option is offered as a way for you to represent the content of your video, and it should do just that. So, if you've added a risqué clip to your video of cute puppies, in hopes that the split-second bikini shot will end up as a thumbnail which might gain more view counts, we will have to flag your video as having adult content. Just a word to the wise.



The YouTube Team

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You Choose '08 Spotlight: Ron Paul

Congressman Ron Paul isn't content to step into the You Choose '08 Spotlight just once - he's doing so seven times, with a series of videos he'll be posting to his YouTube channel throughout the week.



The Texas Republican's first video is about the power of the Internet - something he knows a thing or two about (his YouTube channel has more than twice number of subscribers than other presidential candidates' channels). You can see that video below or click here to watch Paul answer your video and text questions in an interview on the Google campus.







Meanwhile, Senator Mike Gravel has been true to his word and is continuing to post responses to questions posted as part of the CNN/YouTube debate. Here's one about the war in Iraq:







Yours,

Steve G.

YouTube News and Politics

More about → You Choose '08 Spotlight: Ron Paul