Social media trends come and go. Marketing techniques that work today may be old news tomorrow, but one thing has remained popular over the past few years – video.
When it comes to video-first platforms, YouTube continues to dominate as a powerful platform for long- and short-form video advertising, drawing billions of users each month and over 100 million subscribers. But as the digital landscape evolves, your advertising strategies need to evolve with it to continue engaging audiences.
As we approach 2025, here’s a look at the future of YouTube video advertising and the trends that should be on your radar.
Storytelling Using YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts, the platform’s answer to the competition from TikTok’s wildly popular short-form videos, are a force. Shorts receive over 70 billion daily views and over 2 billion monthly active users.
These vertically oriented videos are up to 60 seconds long and displayed in a separate section of the YouTube app or website. They are designed for quick and easy consumption, making them ideal for short, compelling narratives that capture attention.
For example, this video from Barstool Outdoors received 4.1 million likes and 51,000 comments:
Live Streaming for Better Reach
Live streaming is convenient for consumers, which is why YouTube offers the Live feature for streaming functionality. In fact, of the 100 most popular YouTube Live streams, over 60 happened in the past two years. One of the highest-performing live streams on the platform is YouTube’s own stream of Coachella 2019, which attracted a record 82.9 million live viewers.
Though live streams are available on multiple platforms, YouTube offers helpful tools to attract viewers’ attention and enhance your reach. For example, many brands are hopping on the trend of live shopping events on Shorts.
Building Community with Engagement Videos
Brand communities offer multiple benefits, including brand loyalty, strong customer relationships, enhanced brand awareness, and positive word-of-mouth marketing. Building a brand community can be challenging, but YouTube makes it easy with a Community tab that allows creators with over one thousand subscribers to interact with text, images, polls, video, and GIFs.
In this way, YouTube is creating a community experience that’s similar to a Facebook group or page. You can team up with influencers to create new content, offer exclusive behind-the-scenes tours or Q&A sessions, or host special online events for subscribers.
Immersive Shoppable Video Advertising
Shoppable ads are poised to become one of the biggest trends on YouTube. These interactive ads allow viewers to click directly on products featured in the video, rather than searching for them in the description and navigating to a website, to drive seamless conversions.
The opportunities with shoppable ads are virtually endless. Influencers and brands can host live-streamed shopping experiences to allow consumers to purchase products in real time, ads can dynamically suggest products based on the viewer’s browsing and purchase history, and consumers may be able to virtually “try on” or preview products in the ad itself.
Helpful How-To Videos
How-to videos have always been more than a passing trend. YouTube tutorials are already among the most-watched topics on the platform, especially for brands.
Here’s a great example of The Bio Dude how-to video that showcases the brand’s products and offers tips and tricks for how to get the most out of them:
Increased Use of AI and Machine Learning for Ad Targeting
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are already making waves in digital advertising, but the role they play in YouTube video ads is only expected to grow.
AI tools can analyze user behavior, preferences, and search history to deliver highly personalized ads tailored to individual viewers. You can also leverage AI to predict viewer behavior, improving ad placement strategies and conversion rates.
Strategic Use of Chapters
Though short-form video has become a popular option for video viewing on social, the long-form videos on YouTube are still a dominant content type. The platform made it easier for users to watch long-form videos and get the information they need with Chapters, a feature that segments the video into sections with a unique name. Users can then skip to the parts that they want to see, getting more value out of the experience.
Interaction on Your Schedule with Premieres
Going live can be challenging for busy brands and creators. Premieres is a helpful feature that allows you to publish a new pre-recorded video – which you make at the most convenient time – while simultaneously engaging with subscribers and viewers through live comments. It’s the best of a video and live streaming experience all in one.
Valuable Influencer Collaborations
Influencer marketing is still a powerful strategy in 2025, as it has been in recent years. Partnering with a content creator allows brands to tap into established audiences and leverage their trust, gaining increased credibility from authentic endorsements. Moving forward, micro-influencers may be the most popular option for niche targeting with a small but dedicated audience, boosting the benefits of paid video advertising campaigns with influencer-driven content.
A Continued Focus on Data Privacy and Transparency
With growing concerns over data privacy, YouTube is still committed to transparency and user content – a trend that will continue into 2025 and beyond. If you’re using YouTube advertising, it’s crucial to adhere to stringent guidelines to ensure ethical data practices and boost brand trust, such as disclosing sponsored content and being conscientious with ad targeting.
Embrace the Future of YouTube Advertising
As we head into 2025, YouTube video advertising is still a crucial part of effective digital marketing strategy. Video isn’t losing any popularity, so brands need to stay ahead of emerging trends and get creativity to enjoy the full potential of YouTube ads and drive engagement, growth, and success.
