Youtube "One Channel" Layout
 

Wasn't sure where to put this, if it needs moving then be my guest. This just seemed more fitting for the subject.

Anyways, the new... "One Channel" 'layouts' are going to be forced upon everyone's channels later today on June 5th. Many controversy is in the air about it, some love it and many hate it with a burning passion. From my own personal opinion, it drives me up the walls now that everyone is the same.... the name of the game of this "one channel" sadly. Everyone is now a sheep. There is no way to know who is a Partner or not, everyone is the same, you only get ONE thing to change about YOUR page to make it more "you" like. And that's it.

So the main negative cons about the layout seem to be from my understanding:

• Considerably less amount of customization
• Liquid layout makes it slightly more difficult to work with
• Organization of it is messy (IMO)
• Any information about you and your channel is on a separate page (people may not feel compelled to read this anymore)

And.... pros? (Sorry if I'm being a bit sarcastic here~ ♥)

• It can be viewed on all devices (Including... TVs..... yeah)
• 2MB limitation on the Banner image
• Larger dimensions (technically) for the banner
• I'm sorry I can't think of many of these

*Ahem* Anyways, one must also consider the corporate decision on these layout changes. They made a huge deal out of Cosmic Panda when that was released a year ago? And now they're dumping it so swiftly for this "One Channel". It's main campaign selling point is that it's to look 'good' on all devices, seems unnecessary since they have an APP for Youtube already on all devices... and is TV Internet really a growing thing? Also, Google currently has some of the largest stocks. So of course they're going to make decisions that get them more money. Look at the "payed subscriptions" feature they're going to be testing out soon... mainly focused on Television shows. They're going to take advantage of TV shows now on the site since it earns 'em more money and can get more shows out there... for a small fee. I personally think all these changes going on at the same time are obviously Google-Tube focusing on the cash, not so much the creative user content.

Okay okay, this ended up being more ranty than I needed it to be! >w<;; What are your opinions of the One-Channel Layout? What do you think they could do to easily improve it?

Personally, I think if they could at the very least add the coding to allow us to move things around on the page... like all the previous layouts, that'd be a litttttle better for the lack of Gestalt Principles in this dang thing. xP

I wish I could say more than this one canned word...

lolyoutube

...but it really is hard to say more when I've ranted enough about how much I hate Google's decisions on YouTube itself.

As for the layout, I guess it's alright, but it really does need a bit of work. Various bits and bobs are broken across browsers.

Overall I have to say it is awful. I am not sure about everyone else, but for me it is harder to navigate.

The whole banner thing is unfair in my eyes. I am not a partner myself, but I have to say that the banner should techincally be a 'reward' for becoming one.

For as long as I have been using YouTube, the new layout frustrates me to no end from the lack of customization (primarily no more backgrounds) and because of the apparent decline-of-viewership many people are experiencing. You'd think that YouTube making channel surfing easier by "Making it easy to view on all devices" would mean that your channel performance would increase, right?

I've already talked to many close friends of mine, all of which are active youtubers and partners who switched to One Channel a week or so ago, and they have all told me that their analytics show a decrease of views across the board. I assume I'll be a victim of this too...the new 'layout' has actually discouraged me from uploading, afraid that my regular scope of views per video will plummet.

Viewership aside, the fact you can't have a background anymore (and only a single banner) is stupid. A huge part of being a YouTuber (for me at least) is having a cool looking channel. That was one of the things that made YouTube fun for me. And now, my channel...sorry, ACCOUNT (because it's no longer really a channel, now is it?)..my account is plain, it is boring, it looks no special or more unique than any one else's. Oh, but you get one banner at the top. That makes up for everything!

I think the lack of customization is so they could make the website more like Facebook because they don't have that level of customization.

So they want to down grade in order to copy a site that's based around social networking.

Keep in mind that trying to be social on youtube is like trying to teach a five year old atomic physics!

Google doesn't get the message, they haven't since 2008, every single private message or video sent to me has been someone just wanting more subscribers and spam blocked by me.

If I want to share a video I just post it one Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter because I'm actually working more with people I can actually trust and expect to have regular conversations with about said video.

I think you're taking a coincidental similarity in features too far. It's like the Hitler comparison fallacy, saying something like "Hitler was a vegetarian. Since you're also a vegetarian you must be trying to be like Hitler." Both sites just want to look more professional.

How is that every channel I see hasn't actually got the layout yet? Maybe Youtube decided against it? :D

EDIT: Depending on what PC I am on, it has changed. Weird. :O

I have a feeling it has to do with your browser cache.

On the plus Youtube has now made it able for me to switch freely between my Magmaster13 and Magmaster12 Youtube account which I haven't used in more then three years but it's still nice to use it again.

The lack of customization, coupled with the fact that they recently made it so your Google+ account is basically your YouTube account, suggests to me that Google is trying to get more people to use Google+.

The lack of true channel customization is a big let down. A lot of people did spend a fair amount of time creating a graphic specifically for their channel and now it's just gone.

I'll still use YouTube, but it's definitely disappointing that I can't really customize my channel now (not that it actually looked good anyway).