These 3 YouTube Trends You Can’t Miss Now

In the fast-evolving digital world, staying ahead of the curve with emerging trends is crucial for brands, marketers, and content creators. YouTube, the second most visited website globally, continues to redefine the landscape of online engagement and marketing. 

From new AI-powered search results to innovations in Shorts and shifting viewing habits, the platform is making waves across the digital ecosystem. As an Indian marketer, creator, or business, you cannot afford to miss these three YouTube trends that are transforming how we engage with audiences and build our brands.

Let’s explore these three game-changing YouTube trends that are currently reshaping the platform and offering fresh opportunities for marketers and creators like you.

YouTube’s Growing Influence on AI Search Results

If you’ve been paying attention to the latest developments in AI and search engines, you’re likely aware of how artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way we discover and consume content. One trend you absolutely can’t ignore is how YouTube videos are becoming an integral part of AI-generated search results.

Recent research from BrightEdge has revealed that YouTube citations in AI-generated search results have increased significantly. What does this mean for you as a creator or marketer? AI tools like Gemini, which power AI Overviews, are increasingly turning to YouTube content for visual demonstrations, tutorials, and product comparisons. This trend is especially prominent in industries such as healthcare, e-commerce, and B2B technology. In fact, healthcare leads the charge, with nearly 42% of AI Overviews citing YouTube content.

This growing reliance on YouTube for instructional content is clear. AI Overviews are now leveraging videos to provide richer, more comprehensive answers to queries. For example, how-to videos, step-by-step tutorials, and product demonstrations are increasingly cited by AI tools to address user needs.

As a business or content creator, this shift in AI search results presents an exciting opportunity. To align with this trend, you should prioritise creating video content that provides practical, visual answers to common questions in your niche. Product demos, instructional tutorials, and even comparison videos can enhance your chances of being featured in AI Overviews, especially when integrated with the right keywords.

Think about your target audience’s needs and how you can deliver value through video. Whether you’re in healthcare, technology, e-commerce, or education, investing in high-quality, informative YouTube videos will help you stand out in AI-powered search results.

Key Actions for You:

• Create videos that answer common user questions with step-by-step guidance.
• Prioritise instructional and tutorial content, especially those related to your products or services.
• Optimise your videos for AI search by including clear, descriptive titles, tags, and relevant keywords.

AI-Enhanced YouTube Shorts with Veo 2: A New Era of Content Creation

In recent years, YouTube Shorts has taken the platform by storm. With over 70 billion daily views in 2024, Shorts has become one of the most powerful tools for driving engagement and building an audience. But the trend that is really exciting marketers and creators right now is the integration of AI in Shorts, specifically through YouTube’s Dream Screen feature powered by the new Veo 2 video generation model.

Veo 2 is revolutionising how creators make content. This powerful tool enables you to generate high-quality, AI-powered backgrounds and even entire video clips for your Shorts using text prompts. Whether you’re looking to create immersive video backgrounds or entirely new clips from scratch, Veo 2 allows you to do so at an unprecedented speed and with exceptional visual quality.

For instance, with Dream Screen, you can select the Shorts camera, choose the Green Screen option, and enter a text prompt for your desired background. The AI will then generate a variety of options for you to choose from. What’s more, Veo 2’s capabilities extend beyond backgrounds, allowing creators to generate complete video clips, thus offering endless creative possibilities.

This AI-powered tool significantly lowers the barriers for content creation, making it easier for anyone to produce professional-quality videos in a fraction of the time. With the global rollout of Veo 2 planned, this feature will likely accelerate the growth of YouTube Shorts even further. And it’s not just creators who will benefit; brands can use this feature to produce engaging, high-quality Shorts content that resonates with their audience.

As a marketer, Shorts is an invaluable asset for engaging your audience. YouTube’s data shows that Shorts account for over 78% of total views and 81% of the engagements on the platform. If you aren’t already incorporating Shorts into your content strategy, now is the time to start.

Key Actions for You:

• Leverage the Dream Screen feature to create visually engaging content for Shorts.
• Experiment with AI-generated video backgrounds and clips to boost creativity.
• Incorporate Shorts into your content marketing strategy to drive more engagement and reach a wider audience.

Shift Towards TV Viewing: YouTube’s Big-Screen Revolution

While mobile devices have traditionally been the go-to for consuming YouTube content, a major shift is taking place in how people are watching videos. According to YouTube’s CEO Neal Mohan, TV screens have now become the most popular way to watch YouTube in the United States, surpassing mobile devices for the first time.

This change has been supported by data showing over 1 billion hours of daily YouTube consumption on TVs. YouTube’s integration with smart TVs and streaming devices has played a significant role in driving this shift. Interestingly, TV viewership of Shorts is also increasing, suggesting that the platform’s mobile-first content is now being consumed on larger screens, too.

This shift towards TV viewing opens up exciting new opportunities for advertisers and marketers. For one, it’s no longer enough to create mobile-optimised content. As YouTube becomes a central part of the TV viewing experience, brands will need to adapt their strategies for the “big screen.” This includes producing high-quality, broadcast-like video ads that are suited to the living room environment.

Additionally, YouTube is exploring new ways to enhance the TV viewing experience with features like QR codes displayed on the screen. These QR codes bridge the gap between TV and mobile devices, allowing viewers to instantly interact with content on their phones. Another exciting feature is “pause ads,” which enable brands to deliver targeted messages when viewers pause a video. These interactive tools can dramatically enhance viewer engagement and provide measurable results.

This shift also offers marketers the opportunity to create video podcasts, which are becoming more popular on YouTube. As people increasingly consume podcasts on their TVs, brands can tap into this growing format by creating video podcasts that combine the power of long-form content with the engagement of a larger screen.

Key Actions for You:

• Optimise your video content for TV viewing by producing high-quality, broadcast-like videos.
• Experiment with new ad formats such as QR codes and pause ads to increase engagement on TV.
• Consider creating video podcasts to tap into the growing TV-based podcast audience.

Final Thoughts: Stay Ahead of the Curve

YouTube is a dynamic platform that continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The trends we’ve discussed—AI-driven search results, AI-enhanced Shorts, and the shift toward TV viewing—are just the beginning of a new era of content creation and marketing. As an Indian marketer, creator, or brand, it’s essential to stay ahead of these trends to capitalise on the immense opportunities they present.

By focusing on creating instructional, how-to videos, embracing the power of Shorts, and adapting to the growing TV audience, you can ensure that your content remains relevant and impactful. With the right strategies and tools, you’ll be able to harness the full potential of YouTube, drive engagement, and elevate your brand in today’s digital age.

So, don’t wait—start embracing these trends now and watch your YouTube presence soar.