In building a future, the foundational elements on which it has been established are crucial. Therefore, on the occasion of its upcoming 20th anniversary celebration, YouTube has decided to conduct a review of its most recent milestones in order to guide its forecasts for 2025.
Through an official publication, Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, has highlighted four key areas as drivers of the YouTube phenomenon: the evolution of YouTube as a cultural ecosystem, the growing relevance of YouTubers, the development of the platform as a television product, and AI.
Throughout its history, YouTube has become a space for creative expression where content of all types, trends, and ultimately, culture are created. From music videos to web series, tutorials, vlogs, Shorts, or live streams, YouTube allows a wide variety of themes and formats so that anyone can find their niche and enjoy both creating and viewing.
«More than a platform, YouTube is the epicenter of culture and we are committed to fostering a vibrant community where everyone has a voice», expresses Mohan.
Similarly, YouTube is also the chosen ecosystem to address content and information related to major events such as the Olympic Games, Coachella, the Super Bowl, and even election celebrations. Mohan highlights the role the platform played in the run-up to the United States elections in 2024. As an example, he points to Joe Rogan’s interview with Trump, which accumulated 55 million views, or the fact that, on the actual election day, more than 45 million people in the country viewed content related to this topic on the platform.
Furthermore, one of the great advantages of publishing on YouTube is the ability to cross borders.
YouTube has become the most utilized service for listening to podcasts in the United States. The platform has been investing in this format for a while, and the ability to offer not only audio but also video increases the appeal of this content.
«This year, we will implement more tools to support podcast creators, improve monetization for creators, and make it even easier to discover podcasts», assures Mohan.
The quality of some YouTube productions is reaching Hollywood levels. Studios are even being built specifically to create this content, such as the case of YouTuber Alan Chikin Chow, who, in November 2024, inaugurated a nearly 10,764 square foot studio in Burbank, California, United States.
However, these remain exceptional cases. To continue supporting the work of its entire creator base, YouTube states that it will continue to launch tools and features that strengthen their businesses and communities. «We will continue supporting their growth through more traditional revenue sources, like ads and YouTube Premium, while also introducing new ways for creators to partner with brands to bring their products to life».
Relatedly, YouTube highlights how creators are finding new ways to earn money through the platform. «Last year, more than 50% of channels that earned five figures or more (USD) on YouTube received money from sources other than ads and YouTube Premium. Shopping recommendations are also becoming a key revenue source for many creators, and last year saw an increase of more than 40% in channel memberships».
Additionally, the social network has just extended access to Communities to thousands more creators, allowing them to benefit from this tool. Furthermore, they have plans to expand Hype, their new feature that allows fans to support emerging creators, and activate it in more countries.
More and more people are using their televisions to play YouTube content. In fact, every day, more than 1 billion hours of YouTube content are viewed on televisions on average. The most noteworthy case is in the United States, where television is already the main device for watching YouTube, ahead of smartphones (by viewing time).
Their subscription service YouTube TV already has 8 million subscribers, and YouTube Music & Premium has over 100 million. To continue encouraging subscription growth, the platform states it will continue improving YouTube TV features like Key Plays and multiview, and offer new benefits on YouTube Premium.
With the goal of enhancing the viewing experience on televisions, YouTube has developed features such as the second screen experience, which allows users to use their mobile phone to interact with the video being played on the TV, for example, by leaving a comment, liking it, or making a purchase.
They are also working on Watch With, a new functionality that allows creators to comment live and react in real-time to events. This began testing with the NFL in 2024, and this year they plan to test it with other sports broadcasts and types of content. The social network also does not forget advertisers and continues to implement formats adapted to large screens, such as QR codes or pause ads.
As Mohan explains: «AI has been part of our journey for a long time, from generating recommendations to produce subtitles and aid in identifying and removing harmful content. Looking toward the future, we will continue investing in AI tools that empower creators and artists throughout their creative journeys».
In 2024, tools such as Dream Screen and Dream Track were introduced, which allow the generation of image and video backgrounds, and soundtracks for inclusion in Shorts. This year, the social network plans to integrate VEO 2 AI into Dream Screen.
Another example is the automatic dubbing function of YouTube, which will soon be available to all creators in the YouTube Partner Program and will also include new languages. It is noteworthy that «in the case of videos with dubbed audio, more than 40% of the total playback time comes from viewers who choose to listen in a dubbed language».
Additionally, YouTube is also working on AI-powered functions to assist in creative development tasks such as generating ideas, titles, or thumbnails for videos. And, of course, to implement new tools that help detect and control how AI is used on the platform.
Photo: Depositphotos
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