After conducting an analysis on YouTube of the most prominent content in 2022, we can share some insights and global trends on how users consume it and help build stronger and more meaningful relationships with their audiences.
The most successful marketing shows an understanding of what motivates an audience to engage. That’s why it’s important to value online communities and understand how their messages can be amplified and strengthened.
YouTube’s top content in 2022 demonstrates how creators inspire engagement in their communities through moments that capture audiences’ attention. In the UK, for example, British YouTubers Sidemen gathered audiences from many of the top creators to raise over £1 million during their charity football match. Meanwhile, in the US, American creator MrBeast made YouTube’s year-end list as one of the top 10 creators of 2022 with a Willy Wonka-themed challenge video using contestants. of his fan base. while in Germany, the continued success of collaborative duo 7 vs. Wild credits himself, in part, to his viewers, who share their opinions in dozens of reaction videos.
55% of Gen Z agree they watch content that no one they know personally cares about, across times and geographies, viewers are forging connections with online communities they may not interact with anywhere else place.
In 2022, audience interest spanned multiple formats and categories of content, and their preferences often shifted based on their mindset and the moment. While this trend may seem like a hurdle, it presents a huge opportunity for marketers to follow the lead of creators who are successfully reaching new audiences.
The fact is that successfully engaging audiences in a format often means that viewers will follow you from screen to screen. Research conducted shows that 59% of Gen Z agree that they use short-form video apps to discover things that they later watch longer versions of.
According to a Google study, adding a vertical creative element to a video action campaign generated 10-20% more conversions per dollar on YouTube Shorts than using landscape elements alone.
In the past, short-form viral videos often resulted from random, accidental moments caught on camera. But these days, short videos are less impromptu and more elaborate and intentional.
The short films that appeal to the largest audiences have been specifically designed to recreate the candid feel of those older videos, with deliberate moments of surprise and delight.
The best short-form videos harness the power of the format and encourage people to watch them over and over again. So leveraging communities, meeting audiences where they are, and creating innovative shorts are not just YouTube strategies, rather, they are a reflection of how audience expectations evolve. These actions with your creativity will empower you to successfully connect with the right audiences at the right times.
Font:
Sinha, S., & Farnham, B. (2022, December 7). What marketers can learn from the most powerful YouTube trends of 2022. Think with Google. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/video/2022-youtube-trends/
