Ross Walker of influencer firm Redpill says YouTube is poised to take on TikTok and Facebook in the social apps war this year, and short-form content is its secret weapon.
In the year By 2023, we'll see social platforms growing in less time than it takes to make a cup of tea.
Meta threads faded as their buzz grew, BeReal was blink-and-you'll-miss-it, and X (formerly Twitter) has seen a whirlwind of drama and change that shows no sign of abating. Root
Amidst all this noise, YouTube remains a stable company.
YouTube: Steady as a Rock?
YouTube's enduring popularity is evidenced by the more than one billion hours of video content watched by users every day, making it the most-watched connected television (CTV) platform last year. Facebook is the world's second largest search engine and second most popular social media platform with 2.49 billion active users, or 82% of Facebook's total users.
A quarter of viewers say they've discovered new brands and products through YouTube advertising, compared to 86% of UK internet users.
Influencers are the foundation of any social platform. Your content inspires and drives engagement. YouTube has always been a powerful platform for content creators. From vlogs to new channel YouTube Shorts, the platform has always integrated influencers and authentic, accessible voices into its DNA.
Every day, billions of viewers flock to the platform to connect with their favorite content creators. 68% of Gen Z users cite these content creators as the main reason for visiting the platform.
Therefore, with the decline of Facebook news and the popularity of video networks, YouTube is moving to the first place.
The dynamics of YouTube shorts
Shorts are the best weapon in this arena's arsenal. It brings people together by creating a tight subculture like TikTok or Snapchat, but it's part of the platform's core domain.
According to YouTube, shorts are viewed 70 billion times a day compared to a simple combination of long-form and short-form content.
We see all kinds of ads – demos, skits and engaging stories – all of which drive sales and build followers for brands. Clash of Clans has reached over 90 million views and 3 million likes. Squarespace proves that shorts can sell anything.
Fragment resistance: Google search integration
YouTube is owned by Google. The platform's integration with the world's most used search bar means YouTube content answers queries from all over the web. It also links the platform to its audience: YouTube (long and short) is automatically indexed by Google. This is a turning point for manufacturers and brands.
Customers can watch content on mobile, desktop or CTV on the platform. Videos will get a huge boost in searches if they are rich in keywords, interesting descriptions, attractive thumbnails and creative subtitles.
Capitalize on fandom and subcultures
YouTube is not just an informal social media platform. It's a playground for content creators and fans to learn about their favorite topics like musicians, movies, TV shows, sports and games.
Short films can involve everyone from creators to celebrities, brands to artists. YouTube advertisers adding vertical creative assets and video action campaigns are now seeing 10% to 20% higher conversions per dollar on shorts, compared to campaigns that use only landscape, he says.
Partnerships between brands and influencers will continue to be an important source of content on the platform. Reese's ad with Gen Z stars Merrick Hannah and Kusha Campbell has received 73,000 likes. Sugar Cosmetics' makeup tutorial sparked a heated discussion with 14,000 comments.
And YouTube is expanding its AI-powered filtering system by screening content creators and viewers with Dream Screen, YouTube Create and AI Insights tools. The result is a series of products and features that allow users to push the boundaries of creativity
YouTube is at the top for AI.
New features like AI-generated backgrounds, AI-powered scene transitions, automatic subtitles, and special effects help content creators create better videos, making professional-quality videos accessible to more people with minimal effort.
And now Google Bird is partnering with YouTube. Bard's AI interacts with YouTube data to help create relevant marketing plans and unique video highlights that drive search. Google Translate supports more than 100 languages and processes more than 140 billion words per day. Google Photos offers automatic image recognition.
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TL; Dr
So how can you benefit from YouTube shorts this year? First, focus on attracting users quickly. As you visualize and plan, try to capture attention from the first second with compelling images, questions, and overlays.
Next, make sure you match the brand. The combination of client-agency partnership helps to stimulate creative creativity and ensure that the content stays true to the brand identity. Stay on top of trends using pop culture moments, hashtags, and viral trends.
And finally, test, test, test, by measuring, analyzing the impact of the content and what excites the audience the most.
YouTube isn't the only social platform to watch this year. This is the strategy that brands should incorporate into their marketing strategy if they want to have a holistic online brand experience.
