Equivalent video content material may be hosted on YouTube however accessed by means of a number of distinct URLs. For example, a video uploaded to a channel is likely to be referenced by a normal YouTube hyperlink, a shortened URL created by means of YouTube’s sharing function, or embedded code pointing to the identical supply file on YouTube’s servers. These various entry factors all result in the similar video, regardless of possessing distinctive internet addresses.
The existence of a number of addresses for a similar video presents a number of benefits. It permits for simpler sharing throughout completely different platforms the place character limits or formatting constraints is likely to be current. Shortened hyperlinks are significantly helpful in environments like Twitter or SMS messaging. Moreover, using completely different hyperlinks can present a way to trace the origin of views, serving to content material creators perceive which platforms are driving essentially the most engagement with their materials. Older strategies of referral monitoring and URL customization additionally contributed to this phenomenon traditionally.