I Redesigned the ENTIRE YouTube UI from Scratch

Summary

The video critiques YouTube's interface and features, highlighting frustrations with the search function, excessive recommendations, and the lack of useful filters, especially on mobile. It suggests improvements like better search filters, an easier way to access and use them, and a TV-like mode that plays videos from different categories continuously. The speaker also reflects on how content creators deserve better visibility and a more streamlined experience, offering a thoughtful vision for a cleaner, more user-friendly YouTube.

Takeaways

• 😀 YouTube’s search functionality is often criticized for being inefficient, with few results and too many recommendations. It needs improvement in filtering search results.
• 😀 Mobile users face a frustrating experience where filters are hidden under more options and are hard to access. Filters should be more visible and easier to use.
• 😀 Adding more filtering options, such as specific date ranges and video durations, could enhance the search experience on YouTube.
• 😀 The current YouTube interface feels cluttered with pop-ups, like the screencasting feature on the search page, which could be replaced with more useful features like accessible filters.
• 😀 A suggestion for a new YouTube feature is a 'TV mode' that would allow continuous playback of videos from different genres, like tech, gaming, and vlogs, to mimic traditional TV.
• 😀 'TV mode' would be beneficial for discovering new creators randomly, as users could explore content without needing to search manually.
• 😀 YouTube’s current video recommendation system feels forced, with clickbait-like content, which could be improved by prioritizing quality and user interests over sensationalized content.
• 😀 The need for more diverse ways to organize and filter content is essential. Adding more filter options would enable users to tailor their search results to their preferences more effectively.
• 😀 YouTube’s new design should focus on a cleaner layout and better integration of user-curated content, allowing users to organize and build collections of videos they enjoy.
• 😀 Overall, YouTube could improve by taking inspiration from existing TV-style content curation sites, allowing users to passively watch content from various genres while discovering new creators.

Q & A

What is the primary critique of YouTube's content trends discussed in the script?

The script critiques the overuse of sensationalized content titles like '10 shocking facts that will shock you,' which feel forced and are similar to the trends on TikTok and Instagram Reels.

How does the video describe the current state of YouTube's search functionality?

YouTube's search functionality is criticized for being ineffective, with too many recommendations cluttering the search results, making it harder for users to find relevant content.

What improvement is suggested for YouTube's search filters?

The script suggests making search filters more accessible by bringing them out from hidden menus and adding more filtering options such as date range and video length.

What specific issue does the script raise about YouTube's mobile interface?

The mobile interface is criticized for hiding filters in the 'more options' menu, which makes it inconvenient for users to refine their searches quickly.

How does the script suggest YouTube could improve content discovery?

It proposes a 'TV mode' feature that would allow YouTube to play videos from different genres (like tech, gaming, and vlogs) back-to-back, offering users a passive viewing experience and helping them discover new creators.

What does the video suggest YouTube should prioritize to enhance user experience?

The video suggests YouTube should focus on simplifying its layout, making content more organized and accessible, and improving content discovery for both creators and users.

What are the frustrations associated with YouTube's current filter system?

The frustration lies in the fact that filters are hard to access, requiring users to click through multiple menus and having them disappear after each selection, which disrupts the search process.

Why does the video mention 'screencasting' in relation to YouTube's search page?

Screencasting is mentioned in a comparison to filters, suggesting that it is less useful than filters on the search page, where users might need to refine their results rather than view screencasts.

What example is given of how users have creatively worked around YouTube's search limitations?

The script refers to a Twitter post where users discovered that they could use Google-like operators in YouTube's search bar (e.g., 'before 2006') to surface older content that was otherwise hard to find.

What is the main sentiment behind the suggestion for a new 'TV mode' on YouTube?

The main sentiment is that YouTube should adopt a more passive, TV-like viewing experience where users can watch videos continuously from various categories, similar to channels, while discovering new creators.