More Changes to YouTube, Custom Thumbnails For Everyone!

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been experiencing the new ‘beta’ home page for YouTube.  It comes as no surprise that the GUI clearly resembles Google + all white background, with lots of space to presumably add new features.
Firstly, starting with the left side pane of the page the channel thumbnail is much smaller and a drop down arrow has been added to reveal data about your viewing habits – how many videos you’ve watched, uploaded, saved to watch later, and playlists you’ve created. This drop down arrow, and the one to the far top right are very similar, so much so that I question to even why having it in two places on the page. Working down the left side pane there is now a channel feed link under your channel name. If you have comments or email a portion of the link will turn a dark blue and if clicked takes to view those comments.  Otherwise, this link refreshes the middle pane to see subscribed channel feed.
Below the channel feed is a filter search field.  Simply type in the channel you would like to watch. As you type letters it will filter out your channels.
The beta version has removed the From YouTube section where on the current version it has links to what is trending, popular (which I never understood – because if it’s trending, isn’t it popular), music and entertainment.
Also removed is the Suggested channels. These channels that YouTube thought you might like based on your current subscribers and videos you have watched.
Both of these features I do miss, especially the suggested channels. You can still see the most popular videos by clicking on the Browse link in the top navigation.
Moving across the page to the middle area, known as your channel feed, at the top of the feed the options have been condensed and the black background reduced. The options are the same – highlights vs. everything, and uploads only checkbox.
The biggest elements that changed are the thumbnail size and you can now tell what videos you have watched.  The thumbnail size in the beta version is 185 by 104 vs. 120 by 90 in the current YouTube home page. So you can now actually see the thumbnail. After you’ve watched a video the thumbnail will have a small banner at the top that says ‘WATCHED’ and becomes grayed or contrasted out.
Lastly, the far right of the home page continues to show recommended videos based on your history of videos watched.  So no changes there.
Aside from from YouTube’s home page, there are other changes coming from the creators/partners side as well.  The biggest is everyone will now have the ability to create custom thumbnails for their videos.  I’m sure the YouTube folks will be monitoring very carefully as this option can and continues to be abused just in the interest of getting folks to click play.
For more of the YouTube changes in detail watch the video below from the great folks over at ReelSEO. If  you are serious about creating YouTube videos you should be following them. They offer real (or should it be reel?) advice, tips, how-to’s, and demonstrations on creating videos.