Are you excited about the changes coming to online video content and social media platforms in 2020? We asked the experts at vidIQ for their tips and predictions for the coming year.
What do Video Creators Need to Know for 2020?
#1 YouTube’s not going anywhere and neither should you.
Rob Wilson: YouTuber in Residence
#2 Tricks are not as important as understanding your value to the world. No title, thumbnail or description is going to make someone watch your entire video. Really focus on the value you bring. Discover your superpower and become a perceived thought leader in that niche.
Jeremy Vest: Director of Marketing
#3 There is still an enormous opportunity to build an audience around your video content on YouTube - but you have to go all-in with strategy! While a handful of lucky channels generate a massive amount of views and engagement with random content, that’s not going to work for 99% of creators. Pick a focus for your channel, learn what your potential community is searching for around that topic, then create, create, create and optimize, optimize, optimize until you hit your stride.
Carla Marshall: Head of Content Marketing
#4 While 2020 will bring on new challenges for creators, one thing will not change; viewers on YouTube want to be entertained or educated. Your content should either entertain the person watching or teach them in some way about something they are looking for. Think about some of the reasons you watch YouTube. When you are looking to learn something, what kind of aspects of a video work best? When you are looking to be entertained, what works when you watch that awesome video that you shared with your friends? Think about the viewer first!
Travis McPherson: Customer Success Manager
#5 YouTube might constantly change, but the one element that is consistent is making good content people want to watch. Going into 2020 it is important to understand what you are bringing to YouTube and your channel, why would someone want to watch you over another and are you delivering value.
Liron Segev: Director of Customer Success
#6 Focus on timeless and perennial truths, keep on shipping videos, whether you deem them good or bad and keep honing your craft until you get really great at creating content consistently without much effort required. Your audience will give you feedback in the way of comments, views, likes, and other ways, and keep testing and improving what you’re doing. Mr Beast didn’t become Mr Beast overnight, and neither will you. When you empower your analytical left brain with mastery of creating content and the shipping process, your right brain has the power to be creative and find those magical ideas that become trends.
Bobby Huang: Growth Manager
#7 Unless you make videos aimed at children, don’t let COPPA and the FTC slow you down when it comes to your content schedule. Remaining optimistic on YouTube is essential when you’re trying to stay focused on your next upload.
Dan Contouris: Executive Producer
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What Trend Are You Most Excited For in 2020?
#8 There are some exciting things going on with YouTube analytics. At first, like everyone else, I was resistant to the huge overhaul. But now I’m really getting into the flow of what YouTube is trying to do, which is to spell out as loudly as possible to creators: this is what’s working for your channel, do more - dare I say it, taking a page from vidIQ’s own book.
I will miss the classic studio but the time does now feel right to move on and once we do, within three months no one will remember how YouTube analytics used to look. That should free up YouTube to create even more tools.
Talking of mobile....there is a LOT in the vidIQ pipeline for 2020 and I’m looking forward to sharing it with the vidIQ community. Tools that complement YouTube’s analytics and help you grow your channels smarter and faster.
On another note, I’m as intrigued as everyone else to see how this FTC and COPPA ‘thing’ is going to play out. There has been a LOT of negativity and it’s an especially challenging time for kids content creators… but amongst the chaos, I believe there is going to be opportunity. Whether or not it directly affects you as a creator, if you approach this with an open mindset and stay positive you will overcome this obstacle, just like every other one that has been put in front of you.
Rob Wilson: YouTuber in Residence
#9 I’m most excited to see how people will evolve based on new laws and changes to the algorithm. Many of the best things in life come when you have to get creative and have restrictions. The creative problem solvers might just win 2020 on YouTube.
Jeremy Vest: Director of Marketing
#10 Two things. Firstly, the ‘Shane Dawson Effect’ on documentary commentary and long-form content. Did the YouTube audience tune in specifically because of the Dawson/Star collab and the drama that came with it or are we about to see an explosion of longer and more in-depth content from publishers and creators on YouTube?
Secondly, the evolution of TikTok - I’m excited to see what steps (if any) the platform will take to help creators monetize. Also, am ready to get out the popcorn and watch the mass migration of creators to other platforms if this doesn’t happen.
Carla Marshall: Head of Content Marketing
#11 In 2020 we will see more creators using other platforms to connect with audiences. This is already happening on channels where comments and notifications have been disabled.
Docuseries style content will become more mainstream and I expect more high-profile individuals such as celebrities (Will Smith) will continue to use YouTube to keep top-of-mind.
New show formats such as video podcasts will also emerge as varied content will be tried and tested to ascertain if there is a receptive audience. Phil DeFranco, HotOnes, Kevin Hart LOL Network are just some Podcast shows doing it with a twist.
Liron Segev: Director of Customer Success
#12 In 2020 and beyond, everyone is self-employed. That means you’re going to have a whole lot more competition because we all need our own brands and that’s exciting because that means whatever you want to teach or become, there’s usually a growing audience for it. We are responsible for our own success, no one is going to hand you success.
Bobby Huang: Growth Manager
#13 Every year on YouTube the competition grows, forcing creators to come up with even more insightful, engaging, valuable videos to help them stand out. I look forward to seeing people who record gameplay videos (for example) look to find more ways to build their audience besides just playing a game.
Dan Contouris: Executive Producer
Want To Get More Views on YouTube?
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Carla Marshall is the Head of Content Marketing at vidIQ. She has 10+ years of experience in video marketing, social media management, content marketing, DRM, and SEO. She was previously Editor in Chief at ReelSEO.com, and as a journalist and video marketer, she's covered news stories, creator journeys, and digital-first publishing initiatives across all the major online video platforms. She is YouTube Certified and a judge for the Shorty Awards, as well as the UK, US, Canadian, Global, and EU Search Awards.
