In the 2010s, vlogging became a cornerstone of YouTube culture. My favorite creators, like Logan Paul, Jake Paul, David Dobrik, and Lance Stewart, invited viewers into their daily lives through high-energy, often controversial content. From the Cinnamon Challenge to the World’s Hottest Chili Challenge, these creators gave us a front-row seat to their most outrageous stunts, fueling popularity and recklessness.
Meanwhile, DIY channels flourished, with creators like LaurDIY and Bethany Mota inspiring viewers to get crafty with at-home projects and quirky fashion ideas. Plus, bold personalities like Jeffree Star and NikkieTutorials turned beauty into both an art form and a lucrative industry, and the popularity of makeup tutorials reached new heights.
YouTube was a playful, unpolished platform where anyone could build a following, and it laid the foundation for the influencers we see today.
As time passed and attention spans became shorter, YouTube was pushed aside by the rise of new apps.
TikTok officially came to the US in 2018 after merging with Musical.ly and became the most downloaded app in the US, marking a breakthrough for short-form content that evolved beyond lip-syncing and dance videos, according to The New York Times.
By the end of the decade, TikTok was quickly becoming the most used platform among teens and young adults.
In 2022, TikTok surpassed YouTube in terms of user time. According to Emarketer, US adults spent an average of 45.8 minutes per day on TikTok, surpassing YouTube’s daily average of 45.6 minutes. It’s a small difference, but it shows how quickly TikTok has been able to take over a platform that’s been established since 2005.
According to Don Dodds, a member of the Forbes Agency Council, short-form video captures and retains audience interest because it allows viewers to absorb and share content more quickly. He explains that companies are shifting toward shorter content because it allows them to connect more directly with their audience.
The demand for fast-paced, highly engaging content has fostered a culture where trends change in the blink of an eye, forcing influencers to get involved in order to stay relevant.
In the age of YouTube, creators had the flexibility to develop their content over time and prioritized quality over chasing quick success. They built consistent, loyal fanbases that were invested in their personalities and stories, rather than focusing on instant virality.
Creativity on YouTube values โโindividual style and originality, allowing creators to pursue their passions without the pressure of the fast pace of meaningless trends or the need to condense everything into a short video.
The dominance of short videos is likely to continue, but no one knows how long it will last.
As the novelty of short films wears off, audiences may begin to crave more substantial content and storytelling than can be captured in a few seconds.
TikTok has already taken steps to address the issue, changing the 60-second limit to 10-minute videos, but the update has raised concerns among creators.
In a CNN article, creators commented on how longer-form video is changing the dynamics of the app. Ali Tabizon, known on TikTok as @alyyytabizon, expressed concerns about how the new feature will affect audience engagement.
“I’m really scared because I watch hundreds of videos on YouTube of people who work at TikTok and post about their new algorithm. I try to stay up to date on everything, but what I’ve learned is that people today have an attention span of about eight to 10 seconds,” Tabizon said. “I myself would watch a one-minute video and probably scroll right past it unless I’ve been following them for a while.”
The future of content creation remains uncertain.
Whether short-form video continues to dominate or more immersive video makes a comeback, creators will need to continually adapt to the changing landscape of social media.
Many of the creators from the 2010s have fallen out of favor as content preferences have changed, but for people like me, the everyday vlogs and risky, hilarious challenges that once dominated the internet will always have an appeal. These videos have a power that newer, curated content just can’t replace.
YouTube laid the foundation for user-generated content and viral video culture. The platform enabled everyday people to become creators, laying the groundwork for TikTok’s legacy and introducing new ways for people to get a chance to become famous.
No matter where trends lead, the connection between creators and viewers will always be at the heart of content creation, even if it means taking a back seat while new formats take the spotlight.