Google Moderator on YouTube Enables Real-Time Feedback from Your Audience

Starting today, YouTube has integrated the ability to use Google Moderator into your YouTube channel. Moderator is a social platform that allows you to solicit ideas or questions on any topic, and have the community vote the best ones up to the top in real-time. YouTube previously used Google Moderator as part of its interviews with American President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Here’s how it works: First, you set the parameters for the dialogue, including the topic, the type of submissions, and the length of the conversation. Next, watch as submissions get voted up or down by your audience, and then respond to the top-voted submissions by posting a video on your channel. The platform operates in real-time, and you can remove any content that you or your audience flag as inappropriate. You can also embed the platform on your own website or blog.

You can get started by going to your channel page and clicking on the “Modules” tab in the “Edit Channel” menu. For more details on how to set up your Moderator series, visit youtube.com/moderator.

To accelerate the adoption of Google Moderator on YouTube, the world’s most popular online video community featured a dozen examples in the Official YouTube Blog.

No, no, I’m not going to embed all 12 of them here. But I have selected four that will help you to figure out the new feature and see different ways it’s being used.

For example, Nick Kristof of The New York Times takes questions about his travels around the globe.

Ask The New York Times

Howcast uses Google Moderator on YouTube to ask for ideas for their next “how-to” video.

How To Suggest Ideas For Howcast’s Next Video With YouTube Moderator

Renowned cardiologist Dr. Euan Ashley of Stanford answers questions about heart disease and other genetic-related disorders.

Ask a Stanford Cardiologist: Taking Genetic Clues to Heart

And Michael Buckley wants to hear about your problems in love and life, because he thinks he can help.

ASK A DEAR BUCK QUESTION! – Moderator Feature!

Of course, there are lots of other ways for your audience on YouTube to interact with your videos. That’s why it is called a “lean forward” medium. Google Moderator on YouTube just leans farther forward.

Get it? Got it? Good.