The Future of YouTube with Neal Mohan

Neal Mohan, the new head of YouTube, posted his first letter outlining the future for the video-sharing platform. Taking the reigns from longtime CEO Susan Wojcicki. The previous CPO in his open letter addresses YouTube’s priorities for 2023: supporting the success of creators, building for the YouTube of the future, and protecting the YouTube community.

“In its earliest start up days, I saw YouTube’s potential. Now, I’m incredibly excited to lead it into the future,” Neal Mohan writes in his letter Wednesday. “As I look ahead to what’s next for YouTube, I’m confident we’ll put our full energy into what matters most for creators and viewers.”

Mohan’s letter signals a new era for the online video sharing platform. Big tech companies, such as YouTube and Google, continue to face mounting pressure from lawmakers, advertisers, and content creators. And concurrent with the growing expectations for social media companies to, from the mouth of Gen-Z–do better. Mohan has taken this to heart.

The Future of YouTube

“Creators and artists will always come first,” as avidly expressed in the letter. The platform promises to continue to support the success of creators by exploring more content tools and monetization opportunities. Such as expanding subscriptions business like gifted memberships, investing in shopping, and improving paid digital goods offerings. In short, anything outside of YouTube’s typical ads program.

But moving on to the specifics of YouTube’s 2023 roadmap: accessibility for viewers and increasing support for creators. With more than half of creators located outside the United States, the video-sharing platform seeks to broaden their multi-language tracks and captioning features. As well as adding them to livestreams and Shorts, letting viewers and creators alike to connect with new audiences.

Speaking more on Shorts, and gaming too for that matter. As Google declared last month, the TikTok-style short videos have now accumulated over 50 billion views per day. In the coming year, YouTube intends to introduce a new feature that allows creators to record Shorts alongside YouTube videos in a side-by-side format. Enabling them to contribute their perspective on a trend or, participate in reactions effortlessly, as explained by Mohan.

On that same note, podcasts are making their long-awaited debut on YouTube Music. In the previous year, the platform gave a hint of its intentions through the introduction of a new podcast page for users based in the United States. Currently, the platform is in the process of developing RSS feed integration to enable podcasters to avoid the need for uploading their episodes to the service individually. Moreover, YouTube aims to integrate the experience of watching and listening to podcasts. Allowing users to switch from video to audio mode while in the middle of an episode. In other words, on-the-go listening.

YouTube is bringing the best of its platform to the living room too. Debuting TV-friendly adaptation of its Shorts mobile experience, and the introduction of Primetime Channels. The latter feature provides users with a fresh way to view content from their preferred streaming services on the YouTube app.

In addition to these updates, YouTube has announced that NFL Sunday Ticket will be available on YouTube TV and Primetime Channels. Solidifying the platform’s partnership with the NFL and establishing YouTube as the another destination for football fans. Subscribers can expect YouTube TV features, such as the ability to watch crucial plays, to be added to the main YouTube app. Furthermore, creators will engage with sports fans through coverage and commentary. While fans can interact with each other through comments, chats, and polls.

Later this year, YouTube TV will launch a new feature enabling viewers to watch multiple games simultaneously.

advertising