YouTube adds image-to-video feature, updates Promote tool

YouTube has announced new updates for creators, including interest-based targeting for its Promote feature and the expansion of AI-powered video tools to Shorts and the YouTube Create app, according to a product update shared by the platform.

The updates are part of an effort to improve communication between creators and internal teams.

One of the key updates is the launch of interest targeting for YouTube Promote. The feature allows creators to target viewers based on interests such as gaming, beauty or travel, in addition to existing options like demographics, countries and languages. “Creators will now have more control over the audience their promotions are shown to,” the platform said.

Interest categories are based on aggregated and anonymised signals from activity across Google and YouTube. For example, users who frequently watch cooking videos or search for recipes may be grouped under food and dining. The feature is currently available on desktop, with plans to expand to mobile.

Promote remains optional and separate from organic discovery, and subscribers and views gained through Promote do not count toward eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program.

The platform also announced that its ‘Ingredients to Video’ feature is being extended to Shorts and the YouTube Create app. The tool allows creators to turn text prompts and reference images into eight-second video clips using AI models.