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Navigating YouTube: Steps to Enable Comments

Published August 10, 2023

In the bustling social media arena, YouTube’s comments section is a powerhouse for fostering community engagement. It’s a tool that shouldn’t be overlooked. Why? Because enabling comments on YouTube videos can build a dialogue with your audience, boosting your visibility across platforms and making your content truly resonate.

For this reason, we will delve into the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of turning on YouTube comments and the potential impact on your digital presence.

Why Comments Matter on YouTube

Engaging with your audience through YouTube comments is more than just an exchange of thoughts. It’s about nurturing a community around your content. When viewers comment, they’re investing their time in your videos, building a deeper connection, and fostering a sense of belonging.

But it’s not just about relationship building. Did you know comments can amplify your video’s reach? YouTube’s algorithm considers engagement, including comments, when deciding which videos to suggest to users. So, the more active your comment section, the higher your video’s visibility, potentially reaching new viewers far and wide.

Steps to Enable Comments on YouTube

Getting your audience talking is as simple as a few clicks. Here’s how to enable comments on your YouTube videos:

  1. Sign in to YouTube Studio and select the ‘Content’ tab on the left panel.
  2. Hover over the video you want to manage and click the ‘pencil’ icon to access video details.
  3. In the ‘Advanced’ tab, under ‘Comments & ratings,’ choose ‘Allow all comments’ or ‘Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review.’ Click ‘Save.’

Voila! Your audience can now add their two cents to your content.

But that’s not all. YouTube provides handy tools to manage your comment section. You can filter certain words, block users who consistently post offensive content, or even hold comments for review. This gives you control over the conversation tone and keeps your video’s comment section a pleasant space for your viewers.

Reasons that Could Prevent You from Enabling Comments

Despite your best efforts, are you finding it impossible to turn on comments on your YouTube videos? It can be frustrating, but it’s a problem many creators face. Here are a few reasons why this could be happening:

  1. Content Made for Kids: YouTube has a policy of disabling comments on videos classified as ‘Made for Kids’ to ensure the safety of minors. If you’ve tagged your video as such, the comment feature will be unavailable.
  2. Restrictions Applied: If you’ve previously set ‘Disable comments’ as your default setting for new uploads in YouTube Studio, this might be the culprit. To change it, go to ‘Settings’ -> ‘Community’ -> ‘Defaults’ and adjust accordingly.
  3. Community Guidelines Violation: Sometimes, YouTube may disable comments on certain videos that have repeatedly or egregiously violated their community guidelines.

Identifying the cause can help you figure out the best course of action to re-engage with your community.

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Written By:
AUTHOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jessica is a consultant, researcher, and the editor-in-chief of the Buzzoid blog, who specializes in social media, marketing, and digital strategy. She is a graduate of Antioch College and earned her MBA at Boston College’s Carroll Graduate School of Management, specializing in STEM Management.

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