YouTube announced it is pulling the plug on the Trending page, citing the shifts in how content is created, discovered, and consumed on the platform. The video sharing platform will retire the Trending page and Trending Now list over the next few weeks.
The feature was introduced back in 2015 when things were simple and YouTube could settle for a singular list of viral videos to describe what's trending. It became a part of the Explore tab in later years. Moreover, YouTube has grown into an even bigger platform with "videos created by many fandoms" and "more micro-trends enjoyed by diverse communities."
People can find out about what's trending on YouTube from various places like recommendations and search suggestions for Shorts, comments, and Communities. The Google-owned company said it has witnessed a significant drop in the number of visits to the Trending page over the last five years.
"So, we're making updates to better match how people discover trending content today by shifting away from one all-encompassing Trending list towards category-specific charts that we’ll continue to invest in over time," YouTube added.
That said, YouTube has been building alternatives to the Trending page in recent years. Once the page is gone, people can turn their heads towards YouTube Charts for specific categories such as weekly top podcast shows, trending music videos, trending movie trailers, and more.
YouTube will continue to display personalized recommendations, and people can still use the Explore tab to browse content that isn't personalized. For creators, it will keep offering content ideas and insights on trends through features like the Inspiration tab in YouTube Studio.
The Google-owned platform will boost visibility for up-and-coming creators and new videos through the Hype feature, which is currently in beta. It will keep giving shoutouts to rising creators through the official YouTube social media channels and a dedicated section on the Music Explore page.
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