YouTube Stories to be discontinued on June 26 for Shorts and Community posts

As Google reorients its goals, it’s decided to sunset YouTube Stories, a feature reminiscent of Snapchat and Instagram’s ephemeral messages. The platform will cease to support Stories starting from June 26, 2023. Introduced in 2018, Stories offered creators an avenue to share candid updates, vlogs, and prompt posts.

The decision to discontinue YouTube Stories comes after mixed responses from users and creators who found it missing key features like swipe-up and video linking functionalities. YouTube noticed that the Stories feature saw less usage compared to community posts, which consistently generate a higher number of comments and likes.

With Stories ending, YouTube is shifting its focus towards community posts and YouTube Shorts. It has broadened the reach of community posts, integrating popular elements of Stories such as editing tools and posts expiring after a 24-hour period. Community posts, according to YouTube, invariably garner more engagement than Stories.

A YouTube spokesperson confirmed the increased focus on Shorts, citing the format’s burgeoning popularity amongst creators. The firm’s strategy aims to facilitate creators’ success by investing in tools that allow them to connect with their audiences in diverse formats.

Those creators who make regular use of Stories will receive notifications regarding its discontinuation through YouTube Studio, Help Center content, and a Creator Insider video. After June 26, no new Stories can be created, but existing ones will stay live for an additional seven days.

YouTube affirms its commitment to crafting new and innovative tools to bolster creator growth. The platform’s future vision is centred around investing in features that hold the most promise for user engagement, such as Shorts and community posts.

In summary, YouTube’s choice to discontinue Stories reflects a pivot towards more interactive formats like YouTube Shorts and community posts. By focusing on these tools, YouTube seeks to bolster creators’ efforts and enhance audience interaction on the platform.”