What’s going on, friend! Hope you had a great weekend.
Over the past few days, I’ve been thinking about what I want to reflect on about YouTube in 2025.
A lot has changed.
YouTube has tightened enforcement across specific niches; the algorithm has changed, and some creators have left the platform altogether.
But, it hasn’t all been bad. YouTube introduced new features like title A/B testing, added Ask Studio for a load of channels already, and has FINALLY announced 4K thumbnail support!
So, I thought, let me write a newsletter about the most significant changes I’ve seen, how they impact creators, and what I think 2026 has in store for all of us.
The Almighty Algorithm
I normally do not enjoy writing or talking about the algorithm that much. The reason is quite simple; a lot of YouTubers are prone to give it more credit than it deserves when things go right, but mainly when things go wrong. Low views? The algorithm hates me! Low views a few videos in a row? I am shadowbanned!
From experience working on channels that get hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of views per month, I can safely say that nine out of ten times it’s nonsense.
That being said, the algorithm has definitely changed this year. Early in January this year, we saw the algorithm nerf a type of channel that had been amazing before the change: new channels.
I used to tell many creators who wanted to do a big pivot to start a new channel. New channels got picked up by the algorithm very fast, and you could really jumpstart a fresh channel with a few good uploads in a row. It wasn’t weird for me to speedrun a channel from 0 to 1000 subscribers in a matter of days.
That became harder after February of this year. We saw that new channels did not get the same type of love as they did before. Now, we are back in the place where we were in early 2024 and before: you need an actual solid strategy to grow a channel fast, and even better videos. Great news for strategists like me, not so great news for beginner YouTubers trying not get discouraged because they do not have a Leroy in their corner. (😜)
The good news is straightforward: the algorithm rewards great videos better than ever.
There is no reason not to start that YouTube channel in 2026.
Trends on YouTube in 2025
I’ve been debating writing about this topic quite a bit. But, I think it is a necessary topic to discuss as there still is a lot of misconception about this.
‘‘Raw thumbnails came back!’’
‘‘Simple editing made a comeback!’’
‘‘MrBeast content is DYING!’’
Many such things came through my timelines this year. And I can wholeheartedly say:
It’s all a bunch of bullshit.
YouTube is simply too big to have trends wave through all the nooks and crannies of the platform. Sure, trends have changed within certain areas of YouTube, but there has never been a trend that took all niches by its neck, and we saw styles and patterns change platform-wide.
Yes, we saw raw thumbnails and unoptimized videos take over the business/make money online niche and the AI storytelling niche, with thumbnails that had massive amounts of text.
But my stance hasn’t changed ever, and won’t after 2025.
Make videos that fit your style and personality.
Stop trying to emulate another YouTuber you are not. I have grown channels like The Golden Kobe Family or Christian Peverelli from tiny to one of the fastest-growing in their niche by leaning into what fits them, and how to get it out of them.
This applies not only to small channels. I recently spent two days in the office of one of the biggest YouTube channels in the world and discussed the strategy for 2026. This was a recurring subject there as well: what can we do better than the competition?
So, what is the conclusion?
YouTube has been changing, both for better and for worse. It cracked down on scammy channels, but took some legit ones out with it. It finally provided title testing, but not the depth of data we’d like.
The biggest thing you need to know is this: YouTube wants more market share, wants to fully conquer TV, and wants to become a one-stop shop for all entertainment in the living room and on other devices. (NFL, anyone?)
2026 is the best year to start that YouTube channel and get going. I’ve worked on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and X for the past 10+ years. But nothing beats YouTube when it comes to building an actual brand and long-term career.
What is holding you back?
Have a great week, see ya in the next one!
Leroy.
PS: I’ve received a lot of messages from last week because the course link did not work. Sorry about that, let’s drum it up to ‘‘newsletter rust’’. 😂
If you are a beginner YouTuber and want to learn everything below, it’s time to check it out now before I raise the price to $197.
You can get it here (now for real)