YouTube is expanding its Communities feature, offering more creators a dedicated space to engage directly with fans—without relying on platforms like Discord.

First introduced at the Made for YouTube event in September 2024, this mobile-only feature is now rolling out to a wider audience. The expansion aims to enhance creator-fan interactions by providing a central hub for discussions, updates, and fan-generated content. 

Read also: Netflix announces June 27th premiere for Squid Game’s final season

YouTube’s Communities

YouTube’s Communities feature creates an interactive space where both creators and viewers can initiate discussions, share updates, and post content. Unlike traditional YouTube Posts, which are mostly one-way updates, Communities enable two-way engagement, fostering deeper connections among fans.

Creators can manage these interactions using the Community Hub within the YouTube Studio app, consolidating channel activity and even suggesting responses to fan comments. During the initial testing phase, YouTube has received positive feedback from creators, prompting a broader rollout.

YouTube ‘Community’ tab becomes ‘Posts’ to avoid confusion

To avoid confusion between the new Communities feature and the existing Community tab, YouTube is rebranding the Community tab as ‘Posts’. While the functionality remains unchanged, the new name distinguishes standard updates and announcements from the more interactive Communities space.

Creators can continue using Posts for quick updates, while Communities will act as a more immersive, discussion-driven environment for fans.

Read also: Tems wins first solo Grammy award for Best African Music Performance

Exclusive, invite-only access for now

For now, access to Communities is by invitation only. Selected creators will receive an email notification and a banner alert on their channel pages within the YouTube app. Invited users will be prompted to visit their new Community space and choose whether to activate the feature.

This expansion signals YouTube’s intent to rival Discord, offering creators a built-in fan community without needing external platforms. As YouTube continues refining Communities, it may eventually open access to more creators, making it a powerful tool for engagement.