YouTube Trends Report Reveals 7 Important Changes

Discover how YouTube’s massive audience and creator-driven trends are reshaping the landscape of digital marketing and pop culture.

In 2024, YouTube released two culture and trends reports instead of one. This was the first sign that we may not be paying enough attention to emerging trends.

The first report, published mid-year, stated:
“Fans are no longer just consuming content; they’re actively creating it, which means they are more crucial to the success of a personality or project than ever before.”

The second report, presented at the end of 2024, emphasized:
“Franchises shaping pop culture today are increasingly born online or become accessible in digital spaces through creators’ activities.”

What does this mean for digital marketers?

We’re well-acquainted with traditional marketing models:

• Business-to-Consumer (B2C)
• Business-to-Business (B2B)

However, it’s becoming clear that we need to expand our understanding to include new models like:

• Business-to-Creator-to-Consumer (B2C2C)
• Business-to-Creator-to-Business (B2C2B)

That’s why it’s worth exploring the latest YouTube Global Culture & Trends report. It identifies seven significant shifts shaping pop culture in the U.S. and globally. These shifts are also transforming digital marketing as we know it.

YouTube Nation: 78% Larger Than the World’s Largest Country

YouTube gathers about 2.5 billion active users worldwide each month, making it one of today’s most popular platforms.

YouTube is the second most visited website globally, behind only Google. For comparison:

• Facebook ranks third.
• Instagram is fifth.
• TikTok is twentieth.

If YouTube were a country, it would far surpass the world’s most populous nations:

• India – approximately 1.4 billion people.
• China – just under 1.4 billion.
• The United States – about 340 million.

YouTube’s Popularity in the U.S.

For over seven years, YouTube has been the most popular online platform in the U.S. Studies show:

• 85% of U.S. adults use YouTube.
• By comparison, 70% use Facebook, 50% use Instagram, and 33% use TikTok.

Why YouTube Deserves Marketers’ Attention

YouTube offers immense potential for influence, often underestimated by marketers. For example, to qualify for an exclusive Karat Black Card, a YouTuber needs at least 100,000 subscribers. Comparatively:

• Instagrammers need 125,000 followers.
• TikTokers need 2.5 million followers.

This is because YouTube subscribers are considered:

• 25% more valuable than Instagram followers.
• 25 times more valuable than TikTok followers.

MrBeast: A YouTube Success Story

One of the most successful content creators on YouTube is Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast. His channel boasts 338 million subscribers. In 2024, his 68 videos amassed:

• 13.3 billion views.
• 508 million engagements.

According to CNBC estimates, MrBeast earns $600–700 million annually. His videos are renowned for high production quality, dynamic editing, and intricate challenges with giveaways.

For instance, his most popular 2024 video, “The World’s Fastest Cleaners,” published on April 25, garnered:

• 583 million views.
• 24.1 million engagements.

How Independent Animators Are Changing Pop Culture

The support of dedicated fans is opening new horizons for independent animators, transforming social media video hits into full-fledged franchises. This proves that online communities wield enormous influence in shaping modern pop culture.

A Striking Example: “The Amazing Digital Circus” by the GLITCH Channel

The independent animation studio GLITCH, based in Sydney, Australia, released the pilot episode of its show, The Amazing Digital Circus, on October 13, 2023. Their goal was to create animated shows that no one had ever seen before.

The results were immediate: the first episode garnered 364 million views and 6.6 million engagements.

The second episode, titled The Amazing Digital Circus – Ep 2: Candy Carrier Chaos!, premiered on May 3, 2024, achieving 140 million views and 4.2 million engagements.

Global Impact

By May 2024, a SmithGeiger study revealed that 22% of Americans aged 14 to 24 were familiar with the show, even though only two episodes had been released at the time.

Netflix noticed the phenomenon and began licensing episodes for simultaneous release alongside their YouTube premieres, underscoring the show’s significant impact.

By the end of 2024, according to Tubular Intelligence, eight episodes of the show, described as “fun, colorful animated stories with elements of violence and existential crises,” amassed 671 million views and 17.9 million engagements over the past 15 months.

Today, the GLITCH channel boasts 12.9 million subscribers, with much of the show’s success attributed to its active fan community.

The Role of Fans in Building the Franchise

Between episodes, fans bridged the gaps with their own content, creating fan-made animations, explanatory videos, and music clips. This significantly expanded the franchise’s reach.

Over the past 15 months, 5,175 fans have created 32,900 videos about The Amazing Digital Circus, which have amassed 19.2 billion views and 678 million engagements, according to Tubular Intelligence.

A Global Trend

The Amazing Digital Circus was listed among Trending Topics in countries such as Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Trending Topics on YouTube highlight the most popular cultural phenomena, including films, memes, music, and other areas. Analysts from YouTube’s Culture & Trends team identify these trends by studying data on video views, uploads, and creator engagement.

Video Game Creators: Expanding the Cultural Influence of Individual Games

Video games have long ceased to be mere entertainment for a narrow group of gamers. Thanks to the efforts of talented creators, they have become part of global culture, with their popularity extending beyond the gaming environment.

A Prime Example: The Game “Dress to Impress”

One such example is the game Dress to Impress, which focuses on fashion and has become a true sensation on the Roblox platform.

The game, which debuted in November 2023, offers players a simple yet captivating concept: during each round, players are given a theme and just five minutes to create an outfit that perfectly matches the theme.

Once the time is up, participants showcase their creations on a virtual catwalk, where other players evaluate them on a scale from one to five stars. The most successful participants earn the title of “top model.”

Explosive Popularity

Despite its recent release, Dress to Impress quickly became popular, trending in Canada, the U.K., and the U.S. Its growth has surpassed the usual trajectory for most video games, transforming it into a global phenomenon.

Since November 11, 2023, 48,300 videos featuring the game title in the “Gaming” category have been uploaded to YouTube. These videos were created by 7,907 creators, and the total number of views for these videos reached 4.3 billion, accumulating 191 million engagements, according to Tubular Intelligence.

Impact on the Audience

One of the most popular videos was “Game Theory: You’re Missing The Point Of Dress To Impress it’s scary” by the channel The Game Theorists. The video, uploaded on August 17, garnered 3.3 million views and 160,000 engagements.

The video’s description emphasizes that at first glance, Dress to Impress appears to be a bright and fun fashion game, but it hides a “dark secret” and offers players an exciting story with hidden rooms, secret codes, and a multilayered plot.

How This Is Changing Video Game Marketing

The success story of Dress to Impress demonstrates the crucial role that content creators play in promoting games. Their contributions help gaming products reach beyond their core audience and become part of global trends.

For marketers, this opens new opportunities: collaborating with popular creators can significantly boost brand recognition, attract new users, and create a deeper connection with the audience.

How Traditional Franchises Can Thrive in Digital Culture

According to YouTube’s Culture & Trends report, some “legacy franchises,” such as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Deadpool & Wolverine, have successfully made it to trending lists in multiple countries, showcasing how traditional franchises can thrive in digital culture.

Data Supporting Success

I trust YouTube’s data but also used Tubular Intelligence to verify this information. For example, there are 555,000 accounts on YouTube with at least 100,000 subscribers.

In 2024, these accounts uploaded 198 million videos, which garnered 22.1 trillion views and 674 billion engagements, according to Tubular Intelligence.

Here’s the breakdown:

• 11,500 brands uploaded 3 million videos, which accumulated 399 billion views and 6.2 billion engagements.
• 13,500 media and entertainment organizations uploaded 27.9 million videos with 1.3 trillion views and 25.8 billion engagements.
• 525,000 influencers uploaded 158 million videos, which gained 19.9 trillion views and 629 billion engagements.

Thus, not only are 25,000 traditional franchises thriving on YouTube, but so are 525,000 franchises driven by content creators.

How Can Digital Marketers Leverage This Trend?

There are three main ways to take advantage of this data to promote your franchise or brand:

1. Create Engaging Content

Take the video “Mastering the currents. @clem_secchi” from the Olympics channel, which garnered 256 million views and 5 million engagements. This proves that interesting and relevant content can lead to significant success.

2. Use Google Ads for Video

Video advertising via Google Ads can help increase your brand’s reach. For instance, the “Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games | OMEGA” ad garnered 75.6 million views and 34,900 engagements.

3. Partner with creators through YouTube BrandConnect for influencer marketing campaigns

The video “Can I Get on the Jumbotron at the Paris Olympics? #Paris2024,” which garnered 5.2 million views and 168,000 engagements, is sponsored content.

It was created by Jenny Hoyos and sponsored by the Olympics channel and YouTube.

India on YouTube: New Opportunities for Social Video Marketing

India has become YouTube’s largest market, surpassing the U.S. With 462 million users, India has the largest audience on the platform, while the U.S. ranks second with 239 million users. These numbers open new horizons for marketers and content creators looking to take advantage of shifts in the social video landscape.

2024 Trends: Stronger Connections Between Creators and Fans

In 2024, creators and their fans formed even stronger bonds through innovative engagement features and shared passions. Fan communities, both in India and over 100 other countries around the world, played a crucial role in shaping creators’ success and content direction.

One example of this is the launch of the UR Cristiano channel — Cristiano Ronaldo’s official YouTube channel — on August 21, 2024. The new channel gained over 19 million subscribers within the first day, primarily fueled by his Indian fan base. Today, UR Cristiano has 72.6 million subscribers, and its 88 videos have garnered a total of 762 million views and 86.5 million engagements.

Using Innovative Formats to Engage Audiences

Ronaldo’s YouTube strategy includes both short and long-form content that appeals to fans beyond his football career. Formats like “draw my life” and “try not to laugh” helped him connect with viewers on a personal level, contributing to widespread popularity and a growing following.

Thanks to this approach, UR Cristiano became popular not just in India, but also in other countries. By the end of 2024, it was the top creator in Germany and the U.K., second in Canada, third in the U.S., and fifth in India.

How Can Marketers Leverage These Shifts?

This example demonstrates the importance of tapping into global trends and cultural connections to successfully engage new followers and expand content reach. Fan communities, especially in India, are a significant source of support and growth for brands and creators.

Marketers can take advantage of this trend by partnering with popular content creators and producing videos that align with the interests and needs of their target audiences. It is also crucial to consider cultural nuances in each market to boost engagement and interaction with the content.

Ronaldo’s YouTube Popularity – A Great Example for Brands

Ronaldo’s most popular video on UR Cristiano, “I Meet MrBeast To Break The Internet!!,” posted on November 21, garnered 55.3 million views and 5.1 million engagements. This is further proof of the powerful impact collaborations with famous creators can have and how important it is to use video content to attract new audiences.

Key Takeaways:

1. Creator communities and their fanbases have a significant influence on brand and product popularity.
2. India has become a vital market for YouTube, opening up new marketing opportunities.
3. Collaborating with top creators and using trending video formats can greatly enhance the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

These trends will help marketers better navigate the modern digital marketing landscape and leverage opportunities to expand reach and engage new users.

Top Songs on YouTube: Not Just Listened to, but Remixed

According to YouTube’s latest report, songs from 2024 are not only being listened to but are also actively remixed, especially through the popular Shorts format. The report includes lists of top songs based on the number of views in each country, considering official music videos, lyric videos, and art track videos, as well as songs that gained popularity on Shorts.

Trends in Remixes and Viral Hits

One example is the Marathi song “Gulabi Sadi,” which became a global sensation, receiving over 3 million remixes in the Shorts format worldwide. The song not only became part of a viral dance trend but also found its place in Indian weddings, with popular performances such as the one by Sanju Rathod at the Ambani wedding.

The video “#GulabiSadi ( गुलाबी साड़ी ) | Official #video | Sanju Rathod | G-Spark | Prajakta | #marathi Song,” which amassed 339 million views and 2.7 million engagements, became a true phenomenon.

In its description, you can see a carousel of 31 remixes of this video, which gathered more than 1.4 million views. The most popular remix, “Thanks for 130m Views #football #unluckyboy #soccer #trending #shorts” by Unlucky Boy, garnered 134 million views and 3.5 million engagements.

Top Songs in the U.S.: “Million Dollar Baby”

Another striking example is Tommy Richman’s song “Million Dollar Baby,” which appeared on both the Top Songs and Top Shorts Songs lists in the U.S. The previously unknown artist uploaded four versions of this song (Official Visualizer, Official Lyric Video, Official Music Video, and VHS) between April 26 and July 5, 2024, which accumulated 164 million views and 2.1 million engagements. Additionally, 31 remixes of this song, created by other users, accumulated 938 million views.

The most popular remix, “My neighbors were so confused watching us” by Samuel Grubbs, received 111 million views and 3.2 million engagements.

How Brands Can Leverage These Trends

Marketers can capitalize on this trend by creating creative campaigns that engage users with content through remixes and viral trends. Songs that gain popularity in Shorts format can serve as the foundation for marketing campaigns that engage fans through videos, dances, or other forms of interaction.

Brand strategies could include creating their own videos and encouraging the audience to make remixes. The user community actively participates in spreading the content, providing brands with a unique opportunity to increase their social media presence and attract new customers.

1. Video remixes on YouTube and in the Shorts format are becoming an important trend for promoting songs and brands.
2. Engaging with fans and creating creative content that can be remixed can increase brand reach.
3. Creating viral trends using music and Shorts content is an effective way to attract new followers and users. These trends offer numerous opportunities for digital marketers and brands seeking to gain more attention for their products and services through video and social media.

YouTube Trends: Why the Middle East and North Africa Region is Important for Your Marketing Strategy

The latest YouTube report features lists of the year’s trending topics, top creators, and top songs across 12 countries. However, one set of these lists stands out, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It’s important to note that MENA is a region, not a single country, highlighting the diversity and rapid growth of this segment on a global scale.

Why Is YouTube Focusing on MENA?

The question of why YouTube has focused specifically on this region is difficult to answer. However, it can be speculated that this is part of a broader global strategy reflecting the growing popularity of video content and user engagement in MENA. This may also signal to brands and marketers the need to adapt their strategies to take advantage of this opportunity.

Regional Influence: A Case from Dubai

One example of the MENA region’s influence on a global audience is the Fix Knafeh Pistachio Chocolate Bar dessert created in Dubai. This unique dessert, combining crispy phyllo pastry with pistachio cream and coated in milk chocolate, became a cultural phenomenon in 2024. Thanks to social media, the dessert gained popularity not only locally but also internationally.

In 2024, more than 5,663 accounts created over 8,891 videos with the title “Dubai chocolate.” These videos garnered a total of 1.3 billion views and 47 million engagements. A prime example is the video “Dubai chocolate #asmr #asmrsounds” by Aliain, which reached 66.1 million views and 2.8 million engagements.

Marketing Opportunities for Brands

This phenomenal example demonstrates how local trends can quickly gain global popularity through video content on YouTube. As marketers, you can leverage this trend by adjusting your strategy to align with both global and local trends.

To engage with the MENA audience, brands should focus on creating creative and visually appealing campaigns that have the potential to go viral on YouTube. It’s also essential to collaborate with local influencers and content creators, as they can help spread your product or service to a broad audience.

The rise of creator-driven marketing: how will these changes impact digital marketers?

We are all familiar with B2C and B2B marketing, but we are only beginning to explore new concepts such as B2C2C and B2C2B marketing.

Creators on YouTube are doing more than just making videos worth watching and reaching a global audience. They are hiring teams and building businesses on the platform.

According to YouTube’s 2022 Impact Report by Oxford Economics:

“90% of creators who earn money on YouTube agree that they want to use the influence they’ve gained on the platform to make a positive impact on society.”

So, how do we convince YouTube creators, who have such a mission, to join our team?

As Guy Kawasaki states in Enchantment:

“The goal is not merely to get what you want but to bring about a voluntary, enduring, and delightful change in other people. By enlisting their own goals and desires, by being likable and trustworthy, and by framing a cause that others can embrace, you can change hearts, minds, and actions.”

How do these changes impact digital marketers?

In today’s marketing environment, it’s crucial to consider the new opportunities that YouTube creators offer. This new type of interaction is not just about promoting products or services through traditional advertising channels; it’s about building long-term partnerships with individuals who can actively influence their followers.

Digital marketers will need to:

1. Explore new marketing formats: B2C2C and B2C2B models are gaining popularity, and creators play a significant role in shaping these strategies. Marketers may need to look for new ways to collaborate with influencers and brands.
2. Engage creators to grow businesses: Since many YouTube creators are building their own businesses, digital marketers will need to learn how to work with them not only as partners for promotion but also as entrepreneurs who can elevate a brand to new heights.
3. Focus on long-term relationships: Building trust and engagement through shared values and missions is key to collaborating with creators. Creators are not just promoting ads; they want to create something meaningful and valuable for their audience.
4. Invest in audience interaction: Engaging in social initiatives and supporting creators in achieving their goals can lead to deeper connections with users, which is beneficial for brands.

In summary, creator-driven marketing is becoming an essential component of successful digital strategies. This approach allows brands not only to expand their audience but also to make a significant and lasting impact by partnering with creative individuals who are passionate about making a difference. Digital marketers need to adapt their strategies to this new reality and work with creators to achieve shared goals, benefiting both the brands and society.

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