A major new feature has arrived on YouTube: the ability to publish videos in collaboration with other creators.
Just like on Instagram, YouTube now allows you to leverage this feature, called “Collab“!
In this article we’ll see how it works, what benefits it offers to channels, and how it can be used to best advantage
How “Collab” mode works between YouTube channels
During video upload, there’s a button to invite collaborators.
You can invite up to 5 other creators, for a total of six channels including the one publishing the video. Each collaborator will receive a notification and must accept the invitation. Alternatively, you can manually send an invitation link: this link remains the same for each collaborator, so there’s no need to resend it every time.
You can collaborate on both traditional videos and Shorts. You can also invite other creators to a finished and archived live stream, but not to a live stream still in progress.
Once confirmed, the icons of all channels will be displayed together below the video title, visible and accessible to everyone on desktop, mobile devices, and TV. Additionally, the video will also be visible within the collaborators’ channels, in a dedicated section automatically created by the system, making it easier for subscribers of all involved creators to discover it.
An interesting aspect is that creators can be invited even to already published videos: this means old content can receive new visibility simply by adding a collaboration, without having to create a new video from scratch.
When sending a collaboration invitation, the creator can decide whether collaborators can view the video analytics. In any case, no collaborator has access to statistics related to the video’s revenue, which remain reserved for the channel that published the content.
What are the advantages of “Collab” mode
Unlike simply mentioning collaborators in the description, Collab mode has a direct impact on the algorithm as well.
By activating a collaboration with this feature, you’re telling YouTube that the subscribers of all involved channels are potentially interested in the content. Consequently, the video will reach both the subscribers of whoever uploaded it and those of the creators who accepted the invitation, increasing overall visibility.
For smaller channels this can become a great opportunity for growth and visibility.
Let’s take a practical example: if a channel with 2,000 subscribers collaborates with three other creators who each have the same number of subscribers, the video could reach an audience of 8,000 users, plus of course non-subscribers who will discover it through recommendations.
What are the limitations of “Collab” mode
Regarding monetization: currently only the creator who publishes the video and sends the invitations earns from advertising, while collaborators gain benefits exclusively in terms of visibility.
Additionally, views, watch time, and related metrics also belong to the video owner. Only the owner can also make changes to the video, from title and description updates to privacy settings.
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