One thing I found interesting about content on YouTube is how the platform "grew up" and creators emerged over time.
In the early days, it felt like it was mostly random stuff like "Charlie bit my finger" or some random kid's skate video; it was about people just wanting to express themselves. Over time, though, people started finding niches they doubled down on (gaming, gardening, cooking, whatever), and the content became less about sharing random stuff and more about a "job to be done" for the audience (some videos entertain, some teach you a skill, etc.).
While this shift has come with some downsides (e.g. things now feel more "commercialized", people copy each other's templates instead of doing things their own unique way etc.), it's what made UGC "click" for me. I now get hyper-specialized content on any topic imaginable, for free, with tons of creators competing and as a result driving up quality (at least theoretically).
This is a really interesting point. YouTube did have a very organic growth path, which allowed it to evolve naturally without feeling forced. I think as online monetization and trust initially grew, it enabled people to justify spending more time making niche/quality content, which then led to more commercialization as the market dynamics evolved.
You're right, it's created an impressive content marketplace. Their algorithm has gotten quite good at discovery lately too.
Thanks for sharing this perspective, Torsten - there's definitely a lot to unpack about YouTube's evolution. I'm thinking I'll probably do a full piece on YouTube at some point, as there's so much to learn from their journey!
Rohan, your posts are like practical guides. Well done.
Thank you, Salvador! I really appreciate your continued support. I'm always aiming to bridge theory and practice, so I'm glad you find it practical.
Thanks to you.
In fact, you could almost subtitle some of your posts as "the definitive guide to X," and I would then translate it into English.
Keep it up Rohan, I like how you organize your posts. Easy to follow along
Thanks, BH! Really glad you like this format and find it easy to follow. Your encouragement and support means a lot 🙏
One thing I found interesting about content on YouTube is how the platform "grew up" and creators emerged over time.
In the early days, it felt like it was mostly random stuff like "Charlie bit my finger" or some random kid's skate video; it was about people just wanting to express themselves. Over time, though, people started finding niches they doubled down on (gaming, gardening, cooking, whatever), and the content became less about sharing random stuff and more about a "job to be done" for the audience (some videos entertain, some teach you a skill, etc.).
While this shift has come with some downsides (e.g. things now feel more "commercialized", people copy each other's templates instead of doing things their own unique way etc.), it's what made UGC "click" for me. I now get hyper-specialized content on any topic imaginable, for free, with tons of creators competing and as a result driving up quality (at least theoretically).
This is a really interesting point. YouTube did have a very organic growth path, which allowed it to evolve naturally without feeling forced. I think as online monetization and trust initially grew, it enabled people to justify spending more time making niche/quality content, which then led to more commercialization as the market dynamics evolved.
You're right, it's created an impressive content marketplace. Their algorithm has gotten quite good at discovery lately too.
Thanks for sharing this perspective, Torsten - there's definitely a lot to unpack about YouTube's evolution. I'm thinking I'll probably do a full piece on YouTube at some point, as there's so much to learn from their journey!