A handle can be many things. A way to open a door. A way to manage a situation. A bottle of liquor.
When it comes to YouTube, a handle is a way for people to find you, for you to find viewers, and for creators and subscribers to connect with each other. Every YouTube channel will have one…even the channels without any followers.
A Unique Identifier
Like a Twitter handle, a YouTube handle is a unique username that allows others to search for you, watch your videos, and rest assured that they’re following the right person.
From a creator’s standpoint, a handle makes it easier to promote your channel, especially if your handle is clever enough to tell users what product, concept, or idea your channel features. From a subscriber’s standpoint, handles make it easier to connect with content that you find inspiring, relatable, helpful, or informative.
Choosing a Handle
If you already have a unique URL for your YouTube channel, you won’t have to choose a handle; YouTube will automatically convert your URL into your handle. If you don’t have a unique URL or you don’t want your URL to be your handle, then you’ll have an opportunity to come up with your own.
Of course, there are some guidelines you’ll need to follow, including staying aligned with YouTube’s community standards and keeping the character count between 3 and 30. Similar to other usernames, your handle can not be in use by someone else. If you find that the name you want is taken, consider using numbers, hyphens, periods, or underscores to make it just different enough to work.
Unlike domains, YouTube does not allow the transfer or sale of handles, so don’t waste your time hoarding all the good ones in hopes of starting a lucrative side gig.
When to Create a Handle
Because YouTube is rolling out this process gradually, you’ll receive an email when it’s your turn to create your handle. You will receive a notification in YouTube Studio, as well. If you don’t pick a handle by November 14th, 2022, one will be assigned to you, which you can change by logging into the studio.
YouTube handles intend to make YouTube more efficient, thus making videos an even more powerful marketing tool.Need some guidance on YouTube marketing or anything else? Give us a shout and we’ll be happy to help.