YouTube Shorts 'Notify Me' Feature

Overview

Building on the success of song "Previews" in YouTube Shorts – short snippets used to generate buzz for upcoming releases – the "Notify Me" feature was introduced to directly connect fan anticipation with the full song launch.

This project involved adding notification opt-in capabilities to Shorts using Preview sounds. Fans can tap "Notify Me" on a Short or the sound's pivot page to receive a push notification the moment the full track becomes available on YouTube, creating a seamless pathway from discovery to consumption.

Details

The core functionality involved implementing user-facing opt-in points:

• UI Components: A dynamic "Notify Me" button/UI element was added to the Shorts player (for Shorts using the Preview tracks) and the header of the music pivot page associated with the Preview sound.
• Subscription Handling: Logic was implemented to handle user opt-ins, associating their interest with the upcoming track release.

Conclusion

The "Notify Me" feature provides a powerful tool for artists to leverage the viral potential of Shorts for their new releases. It allows them to capture fan interest at the peak of discovery and directly drive engagement when the music officially drops.

For fans, it offers a convenient way to stay updated on anticipated releases without leaving the Shorts experience. This feature strengthens the music ecosystem on YouTube by creating a more direct and effective pathway from short-form preview to full song consumption.