YouTube is experimenting with a new voice response feature in comments. A small group of bloggers now have the opportunity to leave voice notes or respond to user comments on their videos with voice messages.
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The ability to post voice memos is currently only available to certain US YouTube creators. However, publishing voice comments is possible only through the YouTube application for iOS and only on your own channel.
Image source: TechCrunch
Channel creators who have this feature enabled can tap the new sound wave icon while replying to a comment, record their response, and post it as a voice comment. Although the ability to record and leave a voice comment is currently available only to a limited number of channel authors, all users of the platform can listen to these voice notes. They also have access to a voice message transcript button under the note to read the comment left by the channel author if they do not want to play the voice note.
The platform hopes the experiment will lead to “closer relationships” between bloggers and their fans in the future. YouTube continues to expand its range of features to connect creators with their fans. In March this year, the platform added the ability to share exclusive short videos with subscribers. In September, a chat for subscribers of a particular author was launched on the platform.