As YouTube turns 20 - it's still the king of content creation

In 2005, a guy at the zoo filmed an elephant and unknowingly rewrote the internet.

YouTube just turned 20. Not quite old enough to rent a car everywhere, but certainly old enough to have changed everything.

From ASMR to K-pop to mukbangs and make-up tutorials, YouTube has quietly (and not so quietly) hosted the internet’s most oddly loyal communities. It’s where niche becomes mainstream, and where long-form content goes to thrive. Trends are born on TikTok, but culture? Culture sticks on YouTube.

It’s still the second biggest search engine in the world. And unlike vanishing Stories and hit-or-miss TikToks, a YouTube video can keep earning its keep for years. For brands, that means longevity. For agencies, it means strategic storytelling. And for creators, it means a platform that’s actually sharing the pie – $70 billion worth pie shared with influencers since 2020.

(Side note, don’t believe us? Listen to Millie Allen, Head of Marketing at Ocean Bottle talk about how Youtube has been a game-changer for their Influencer strategy, on our What They Said podcast.).

At PrettyGreen, we’ve seen this play out again and again. From creator-led campaigns with Beta Squad for NERF, to launching brand-owned formats like Nando’s Booth Truths – interviews, chicken, chaos – and our very own *What They Said* influencer marketing podcast. (Shameless plug, sorry.)

Another great example is our highly-awarded NERF Upload campaign which helped turn a generation of kids into mini YouTubers – based on one simple insight: they all wanted to be creators when they grew up. So we made it happen.

That’s the power of the platform. Scaling effective campaigns on YouTube means showing up in the right way – and staying there. With the right mix of creator partnerships, short-form content to grab attention, and long-form to build real connection, brands can create content that reaches fast and resonates for longer. Add paid media into the mix, and one strong campaign can keep delivering results for months if not years.

Now, long-form content is having its comeback moment (we love to see it.) Viewers want more: more story, more substance, more real. YouTube Shorts helps brands show up at speed. Long-form keeps them top of mind. Together, they give YouTube an edge no other platform can offer.

So yes, while TikTok’s grabbing headlines, YouTube’s still quietly running the show. Thoughtful. Strategic. Timeless. Like a classic banger that never left your playlist.

Happy birthday, YouTube. One more year and you’re officially an adult.