YouTube is rolling out a new tool to offer options for education, which it says is a crucial reason some users visit the site, according to a company blog.
The point of the update is to offer more accessible learning tools for users, and it will come without ads or external links like other videos have.
The video streaming giant says people use YouTube for learning, including getting help for class assignments, practicing new languages or exploring different careers. A recent study cited by the company says 93% of viewers have made use of YouTube to gather information.
The company says it’s partnering with EdTech companies in the U.S. including EDpuzzle, Purdue University and Purdue Global to offer new educational experiences. Qualified creators will be able to offer free or paid courses to give more structured learning experiences, with viewers who choose to buy them able to watch them ad-free. And YouTube is also debuting a feature called Quizzes to help creators allow viewers to test their knowledge.
“Learning a new skill, like how to code, can be so difficult — from knowing where to start to where to go next — it’s a lot for someone to do on their own, and it’s easy to get lost,” said Jess Chan, YouTube Learning Creator and founder of Coder Coder. “On my YouTube channel, Coder Coder, I’ve helped millions of viewers learn how to code and stay motivated throughout their coding journey. I’m so excited to be able to offer my viewers courses, to help bring more even structure to their learning, provide exclusive content and, ultimately, enable them to be even more successful in their careers.”
PYMNTS wrote that YouTube has also recently teamed with Shopify for more innovations in the mode of new shopping functions, allowing creators and merchants to feature products for sale through livestreams, videos and a store tab.
Read more: Shopify Teams With YouTube for Shopping Features
Creators and merchants will be able to integrate their Shopify stores through YouTube Shopping, reaching over 2 billion users per month.
“Commerce today is multichannel, and YouTube is one of the most influential channels on the planet,” said Kaz Nejatian, vice president of product at Shopify. “Shopify’s new YouTube integration will fundamentally change what opportunity looks like for independent brands in the creator economy.”
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