It’s almost 2024 and I know that you want to take your channel seriously and reach your goals. I want that for you too! So today, I want to unpack our predictions for 2024 and give you everything you need to know to be successful on YouTube next year.

Will AI Have a Major Affect?

First of all, we really think AI is going to be highly utilized and maybe more than it should. Currently, it is being used quite a bit and has allowed the barrier to entry for new YouTube channels to be lowered even more. But to utilize it well, I would encourage you to be a good prompter of AI and not rely on it to do all the heavy lifting. I believe there will be a new wave of creators in 2024 who will begin not “phoning it in, but chatGPT-ing it in” and it’s going to be noticeable. Those who have heart behind their channels, will always come out ahead.

Will Monetization be Easier?

I don’t necessarily see monetization becoming easier in 2024. This always feels hard whether you started your channel in 2013 or 2023. But, YouTube has lowered the first tier of monetization which feels encouraging at the very least. I’m not sure it’s extremely useful to be able to monetize your audience with super chats and the such when you only have 500 subs, but at least it feels like you’ve accomplished something and reached some goal. And that feeling might be just the encouragement creators need to put in the work to get themselves the rest of the way to full monetization status.

Will There be New YouTube Studio Tools?

YouTube has recently released the new updates of having A/B thumbnail testing and now the new creator app has new AI tools as well. But, that’s only the beginning. I really think YouTube will be making a lot of changes on the backend of YouTube to allow us creators to more easily analyze our analytics and to help us make better data-driven decisions in making content.

The Power of Authenticity

Attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. We already see the affects that Shorts and TikTok are having on long-form content and I don’t see this getting any better next year.

So moving into 2024, what can we do to combat this? First of all, being authentic is key. Vlogging content is beginning to make a resurgence as people are craving connection to creators. So as you plan your content for 2024, strategize how you will make a personal connection with your viewer.

Part of this is just being yourself! Don’t try to be someone else whom you deem as successful. You’re never going to be a successful copy of another creator. So figure out what is your way of presenting content, your opinion, your unique perspective and your style. Lean into this.

What is your personal story or pain point that led you to create this content? Being vulnerable and letting your audience in will allow them to connect with you more and make you stand out from other creators. Factor this type of storytelling into your strategy for next year. If you are only really utilizing short-form content this is going to be difficult. Not impossible, but definitely harder. So think it through.

The Hover Hook

Another thing we need to really take advantage of in 2024 is “The Hover Hook.” As we have seen, when viewers scroll and hover over a video the video will begin to play. Because of this, the opening few seconds has become just as important as the thumbnail. The most extreme example of a hover hook would be Mr. Beast. He just throws everything at you in the first opening seconds and even includes captions so you don’t miss a thing. I’m not sure that’s completely necessary, but it does show that really utilizing visual storytelling in the opening seconds of your video is becoming vital if you want to get that viewer to watch and stay throughout your video. The era of the branded intro or the talking head to open your video is coming to an end. Make sure you are moving with the times.

Power Tip

YouTube has been adding a lot of polish for you YouTube on desktop and mobile, but now this polish is being applied to YouTube TV as well. They are incorporating bigger thumbnails, more streamlined video menus and easier navigation. As more and more people are watching YouTube from their TVs, these updates are creating an even better viewer experience. And this is only good news for you as a creator because TV viewers typically have a much higher view duration. So these changes are good for the viewer and good for you as the creator as well.

Keep Changing Lives!

Tim Schmoyer

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