YouTube Simplifies Its URLs, Takes Another Step Away From Google+

Last year, YouTube revealed its plan to separate itself from Google+. Since then, the video site has taken several steps toward that goal, and now, it has announced another transition. The video site will merge its two methods for claiming custom URLs to create individual links for each creator.

Previously, according to a blog post from YouTube, creators could customize channel links in a manner that integrated their channels into Google+. That method created URLs with an additional /c/ before the custom part, whereas custom URLs that weren’t integrated into Google+ did not include the /c/

For many creators, both of these URL formats already lead to the same channel, but the forthcoming change will allow some users to neaten their YouTube profiles. Take Grace Helbig, for example; if you don’t include /c/ when tying in the custom URL “GraceHelbig,” you get to her primary YouTube channel; if you do, you get to a different, unused channel.

There is, however, one thing channel owners should be wary of as this change takes effect. YouTube notes that 0.02% of its URLs lead to different channels depending on whether the /c/ is included, and users who fit those corner cases will be notified asked to set new custom URLs by May 31st, 2017. YouTube’s post is unclear about whether one of the two channel owners in that sort of situation would have priority over the other, or if both users would have to update their URLs.

For more information, check out YouTube’s blog post concerning its custom URLs.