As is often the case with a new feature being introduced, it is met with uncertainty. With YouTube’s default autoplay, however, users have come around to it and realized its benefits pretty quickly. The user has the option to disable the autoplay function simply by un-selecting the option from the sidebar, but when autoplay is embedded, one of the ‘suggested videos’ will play next.

There are definite upsides to the new feature. Google will save your viewing history and will provide your suggested videos accordingly. Before the autoplay feature automatically plays the next suggested video, there will be a 10 second countdown, in which you can pause the video if you wish to leave a comment or you can begin typing in the search bar which will cause the countdown to pause.

The feature will lead to users staying on the site for longer, with videos continuously playing that are tailored to your taste. This is a benefit to YouTube as well, and puts them back in the game with Facebook who already have default autoplay and Twitter who have begun testing it.

These efforts towards audience retention for videos and video ads is good news for marketers as now there is a growing number of channels that videos can be advertised on.