The visual representation appearing on YouTube, comprised of three small dots overlaid on a video’s still image, indicates the presence of additional options or actions available to the user. This element typically appears when hovering over a video preview or when the video is displayed in a condensed format. Functionality accessed through this visual cue may include options such as adding the video to a watch later list, saving it to a playlist, or accessing the channel that posted the content.
This affordance offers several benefits to both viewers and content creators. For viewers, it provides quick and easy access to essential video management tools directly from the video preview, streamlining the user experience and allowing for efficient organization of viewed and saved content. For content creators, it encourages viewer engagement and channel subscriptions, as users can readily interact with the channel’s other content without navigating away from the video preview. Over time, these interactive elements have become a standard component of the platform’s interface, contributing to its overall usability and user retention.
