I’m really impressed with all of the additional features that you can do with your original uploads in YouTube. Things like creating a slideshow with your images from your Google account or from your computer, then choosing a sound track and adding in your own slide durations and transitions to create a sequence of images.  You can even use the annotation tool to add text (or links or other videos) to you slides. Here is a nice how-to on creating your own slideshow.

Concerned about the 15-minute limitation? If you go into your settings you can ask for extended allowances. You can get up to 20 GB of space–much too long for anyone to really watch! Resource here

You can even use YouTube to record yourself with a webcam, either your built in or USB camera.

 

And don’t look past the editing capabilities! You can really do a lot with the editing features:

• combine multiple videos (either your own or those holding a creative commons license)
• add an audio track
• add photos
• add multiple kinds of transitions
• add text with different transitions

You can also add “enhancements” to your uploaded videos including letting youtube auto-fix the lighting and color and  stabilizing. Plus you can add effects like sepia, thermal or cartoon. Here is the cartoon affect applied to a video I look out near at Boy Scout Beach in Juneau.

 

If you want to add some annotations there are tools for that too!

 

and with each of these types of annotation you can add links.

 

If you haven’t been to YouTube lately, you might want to sign in and check out the features. You just might find the feature that you’re looking for!