Great new in-video interactive functionality now available for YouTube Non-profit Partners
Posted by Bryan on September 11, 2009
Back in March I wrote about the launch of YouTube’s ‘Call to Action’ feature enabling UK and US organisations in its Non-profit Partners Programme to place overlay ads linking direct to their own websites from their YouTube videos for free – basically turning YouTube videos into simple interactive video ads.
While this feature was good, it was also somewhat restricted – as the Call to Action link could only be placed in a banner at the bottom of the video, and if the video was embedded outside YouTube then the feature didn’t work at all.
The great news is that YouTube has just announced a much improved form of in-video interactivity based on enhancing its existing interactive ‘annotations’ functionality, which previously only allowed links to other YouTube videos, with the ability to link to external sites. What’s more, these interactive annotations will work when YouTube videos are embedded in any site – your own website, a supporter’s blog or Facebook profile, wherever…
This means that Non-profit Partner organisations can now easily add clickable buttons anywhere in their YouTube videos that will link the viewer direct to any other website they want them to visit – and these interactive videos can be shared through any site or social network profile and the interactive functionality will still work.
Take a look at the demonstration video above to learn more – and if you belong to a UK or US non-profit which hasn’t yet registered for the YouTube non-profit programme then go here and sign-up.
Gabriele Bryant said
When will this feature bei available outside UK/US?
Bryan said
Google say on their Nonprofit Programme web page (http://www.youtube.com/nonprofits) that they plan to extend the programme beyond just the US and UK – but afraid I can’t find any details of where or when. Best contact them directly.
Gabriele Bryant said
Thanks Bryan, I wish I could. Can’t find anywhere on YT where I could ask them that question. Tried twice already via YT blog – no answer…
Communty Center of St Bernard said
Does anyone have contact info for the youtube nonprofit program? The Community Center of St Bernard is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 2006. In September 2007 we set up a Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/ccstb. We also applied for the nonprofit program at that time. However, we have not as yet received any information as to the status of our request. Over the past 2 years I have tried several times to re-apply for the nonprofit program, and always get a message that I can’t because our application has been already submitted. We’ve also sent several emails to the general contact link, as well as faxes and even mailed letters. Absolutely no response for 2 years now. Anyone know what it actually takes for a nonprofit to get a youtube nonprofit channel? Thanks for any help!