YouTube is killing stories next month to focus on short videos

YouTube will be shutting down another feature very soon that most of you probably didn’t even know existed on the platform. YouTube has confirmed this week that its version of Stories will not be available after June 26, exactly one month from now.

Stories as a format have been very popular on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat (where it all started) and we have gradually seen it move to WhatsApp and even Facebook. But the Google-owned video streaming platform has decided it’s time to kill another product that was introduced as Reels back in 2017.

Stories were largely limited to YouTube creators who could share a sneak peek of their next video with their subscribers or share behind-the-scenes posts. These Stories were available for a limited time, after which they disappeared, just like Instagram and Snapchat. YouTube’s decision to shut down Stories suggests the feature never caught on on the platform, which can’t be attributed to a lack of demand, as other apps are clearly thriving on the feature and evolving as we speak.

Google has a bad habit of killing products out of thin air and giving no reason for the cull. YouTube’s decision to end support for Stories feels eerily similar to its parent company’s tactics. Either way, we don’t think people will miss Stories leaving YouTube.

So what does YouTube plan to focus on besides regular videos? It seems the platform is relying heavily on the success of Shorts, which is also its take on Reels and TikTok videos. It has already garnered millions of views and is now looking to monetize the product with advertisers on board. The company already has a separate tab for Shorts on mobile and desktop. Soon, it could bring Shorts to YouTube Music, which is currently being tested.