COPPA Regulations and Youtube Kids App - Not a Huge Problem
In the United States we have advertising regulations for every industry.
Do you know why I can’t say that the soap I make in my backyard will take 20 years off your face and beauty marks. Advertising Regulations.
Do you know why doctors cannot claim to cure patients only to help “relieve your suffering.” Advertising Regulations.
Do you know why your financial advisor cannot guarantee results on investments? Advertising Regulations (and the SEC too.)
Advertising Regulations have been in the marketing industry for ages. They help keep consumers like you and me form buying that FAKE soap that might or might not make us look younger. You cannot make fake claims, you cannot exaggerate what your product does, and have to follow strict rules when advertising to kids.
Feel safe yet?
What is COPPA and Why is it Keeping me off of Youtube Kids App?
The specific advertising regulation that protects kids is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, aka COPPA. A 1998 law that wasn’t getting the respect it deserved. And So the federal government sued google, the owners of youtube, for advertising to kids! IN a settlement Google agreed to pay $170 million to the FTC.
Now what will youtube do?
Here is more about the compliance. Youtube is preventing advertisers from running ads to kids. Even tho youtube’s income backbone comes from ads. These two juxtaposed ideas work because of the new youtube kids app.
If a video or channel is considered “made for kids” (yes, your kids playing in the pool is a kids video), then youtube will limit the videos engagement online:
many channel features are restricted
disable comments
no sponsorship or product endorsements (have you been ignoring the required disclosure checkbox is in the dashboard?)
no donations or live contributions to the channel
. . . more blocked features are listed below
Still Works - Up Next Suggested YOUTUBE Video
But what does work is up next. And you can make your videos appear in up next to help them get more views.
Even with all these restrictions - we help clients grow their channels.
What COPPA Means for Youtube Creators?
Well, first of all keep creating your videos. Kids appropriate content is getting views every day and not just in the United States. Remember that COPPA is a U.S. Regulation but youtube is a global audience.
I hope we made you scratch your head! 🙀
That’s right - if you have a flare for some things culturally specific, add some international keywords to your video titles and you might get some increased traction outside the US. It’s another way we increase videos views.
There are a few youtube creators who made channels specifically targeting other countries where they regularly optimize their videos for those languages keywords.
Some youtube channels created country specific channels to expand keywords targeting and get more views (and income)
Why target an international audience on youtube?
It has to do with how youtube and google use their algorithms to show content to viewers. And unfortunately the algorithms is just learning to be bi-lingual or tri-lingual (come on machine learning . . . here we come).
Until youtube can catch up in programming - translating content is a great way to get more views.
TIP: If you don’t want to manage multiple channels - then creating playlists with specific target language keywords is a good start.
COPPA Regulations and Youtube Kids App - Not a Huge Problem
How COPPA Regulations Affect Youtube and Create Youtube Kids //
In our video series - we have a collection of short video under 1:00 minute each - tackling your youtube kids questions. (Thanks for all those emails folks!)
Watch the video where we explain how COPPA laws might not affect video monetization. In this episode we talk about COPPA law regulations which led to the creation of the youtube kids app. Don’t worry about those setting that require you to mark your channel as made for kids. We uncover some of the ways you can still grow your channel and monetize.
What’s Next for Youtube Kids App?
Until youtube can figure out what to do about the suggested video “up next feature” - then youtube kids app is locked. No new content to be added by anyone.
BUT - You shouldn’t want to be in the app anyway.
You audience is on youtube. Kids watch youtube.com on mom and dad’s phone, when grandpa is baby sitting, when they are up at night on their own devices, or the neighbor comes over. Kids are on youtube. The YT kids app only semi-allowed google to settle the lawsuit.
That means
keep pumping out your ORIGINAL family friendly content so kids will binge watch your channel.
Set your videos as made for kids (or youtube can delete your channel and all its content for violating the measures they have in place).
And grow your audience. You can unlock monetization and be a youtube extraordinaire.
MORE Features Blocked on Channels “Made for Kids”
Autoplay on the homescreen
Branding watermark (layouts)
Cards that play mid-video or end screens (editor)
Channel comments
Donate button
Likes and dislikes on YouTube Music
Live chat or live chat donations
Merchandise
Notification bell
Personalized advertising
Playback in the Miniplayer
Super Chat or Super Stickers
Save to playlist and
Save to watch later
Ticketing
Still Works - Up Next Suggested Video
But what does work is up next. And you can make your videos appear in up next to help them get more views.
When should I quit my job and become a full-time youtuber.
We might tackle that question in the next blog post.
I can guarantee consistent growth on your channel, growing your audience, learning how to unlock monetization, while we demystify video marketing.
While I can’t guarantee that you will make loads of ca$h when you unlock monetization - I do know that we can find your audience and viewers. That means no fake views or buying fake subscribers.
// YOUTUBE KIDS ARTICLE ROUND UP //
Get great youtube channel marketing services - they are right here!
There is the explainer post about How to submit to YouTubeKids with Great Content.
We have a quick article from youtube to the entire list of youtube kids programming guidelines, and how to “Get Your Video on YouTube Kids with BEST OF TIPS for video search optimization.“
A little bit more about “Youtube video eligibility for YouTube Kids” and any channel is here.
Also, a bonus post about How youtube Monetization Guidelines have changed. (Its why many people are on youtube, right? TOO Make $ome Moolah.
What is COPAA and why should I care? COPPA Regulations and Youtube Kids App - Not a Huge Problem
We hope these tips help you get started with youtube kids, but their are no guarantee’s* to be featured.
We hope these tips help you get started with youtube kids.
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*DISCLOSURE: NO GUARANTEE’s*. A little disclosure here, there are no guarantees that you can get your content on YouTube kids. Following our You tube Kids video content publishing tips here in these articles, or even following the youtube guide DOES NOT GUARANTEE your specific content will appear on the YouTube Kids App.