YouTube Adds Multi-Language Audio Analytics, New Shorts Music Sharing Options

YouTube’s adding some additional insights data for creators using its new multi-language audio (MLA) feature, while it’s also looking to help musicians make better use of Shorts, with a new option to link to audio pivot pages.

First off, on multi-language audio, which YouTube added last month, giving creators the capacity to add multiple audio tracks in different languages to their videos.

That’ll help creators expand the audience for their content, and along with this, YouTube’s now also added some new, audio-specific metrics in YouTube analytics for creators that have uploaded multiple languages.

As you can see in this example, the new data points break down viewership by language and geography, helping you understand how your use of MLA is driving more engagement (or not). There’s also data on Watch Time and Average View Duration, providing more insight into how these additional language options are performing for your channel.

It could be a great way to develop your strategy, and understand whether it’s worth the additional effort of including multiple language audio tracks.

The new MLA performance metrics are available in the ‘Audio Track Report’ in Creator Studio.

Over on Shorts, YouTube has added the capacity to share links to audio pivot pages within Shorts, which will help creators highlight specific audio tracks.

Audio pivot pages are the in-Shorts highlight pages that display other Shorts clips that have used the same audio.

Now, creators will be able to link to these pages directly within in their clips.

As per YouTube:

“If you’re an artist, these links provide an easy promotional lever, or if you’re a creator, a quick way to view and share content created to a sound. Links can be shared by tapping the three dots on the pivot page and then share.”

It’s not a major change, as users could already link their clips to audio pivot pages if they included that audio in their Short. But now, you can also share these pages if you don’t include the same sound, which provides another way to generate discussion around specific trends and/or clips.

Shorts has become a key focus for YouTube, with the platform now facilitating 50 billion Shorts views per day. The broader popularity of short-form content has been a boon for several apps, with YouTube now looking to usurp TikTok by offering better monetization and revenue potential for top short-form creators.

And if TikTok gets banned in the US, that could see YouTube win out, big time.

With this in mind, adding more sharing, and particularly music sharing elements, is likely to be a key focus for YouTube, as it looks for more ways to tap into key short-form trends.