What We Learned at VidCon 2025

At VidCon 2025, we spent time listening to creators and learning how their worlds are changing. These are the trends, ideas, and takeaways we’re still thinking about.

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What was the most interesting conversation with a Creator? What was it about?

“One of the more interesting conversations was actually with Mario Joos, who just became CEO of the Stokes Twins. He talked about how creators are moving away from the traditional model of working with a single, exclusive manager or talent agent. Instead, they’re looking for specialized partners. For example someone to focus on SVOD, another to focus on product, etc. because no one partner can maximize every opportunity. That unbundling of roles really stood out.

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Also, a conversation with Mike from Mike and Matty really stuck with me. He called out how valuable it is to know what your audience is watching, something we already use for brainstorming off of Outliers in Spotter Studio. It’s great to hear an external creator flag that as a game-changer.” - Rob Gabel, Chief Strategy Officer at Spotter 

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“I had a great conversation with Carmen Wong, a creator who’s building a niche around using AI for journaling and self-therapy. She’s teaching people how to use tools like ChatGPT to reflect, process emotions, and develop a personal growth practice. She’s even building a course around it. It was one of the most unique and thoughtful applications of AI I’ve come across: using AI not just for content creation, but for emotional well-being.” - David Drobik, Partner Marketing at Spotter Studio

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What was one takeaway you had regarding broader trends inside the Creator Economy?  

“The big one: YouTube is now television. This year felt like the true inflection point where everyone from panels to hallway conversations was treating YouTube like a full-on TV platform. There’s a clear divide now between creators making short-form social content and those programming long-form video like TV.

That realization brought up bigger questions: how do we syndicate 22-minute videos? How do creators take what they're already doing and repurpose it across platforms like Prime Video or even linear TV?

And while AI was everywhere, it still felt early and vague. Outside of podcasters using it for cleanup their timelines or brainstorming, most people weren’t using it for heavy lifting. For example scripting in their own voice which still feels out of reach for many.” - Rob Gabel, Chief Strategy Officer at Spotter

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“Definitely AI. I went to a few sessions that centered on it, and what stood out to me was how there were two parallel conversations happening: one that was very pro-AI. Creators are using it for productivity, like sending follow-ups or enhancing workflows. Then there were others that focused on the importance of people, partnerships, and relationships.

Even the pro AI folks emphasized that it's ultimately still about people. And even the relationship-driven speakers would mention ways AI could support that. I thought that tension and balance was really interesting.

One specific moment: a speaker shared an AI prompt they used, and everyone in the room immediately pulled out their phones to take a photo. It was a reminder that people are hungry for practical, tactical takeaways—something I want to remember when I speak at future events.

I also really appreciated a short talk from Tyler Chou who focused on creator rights, copyright, contracts, protecting yourself as a creator. That topic doesn’t get enough spotlight, and it was great to see it discussed so openly.” - Dorothee Grant, Sr Product Manager, Spotter Studio

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“One surprising trend was the rise of vertical livestreaming on YouTube Shorts. It’s a tool I hadn’t explored personally, but it’s clearly gaining traction. You can now go live in the Shorts feed, and creators are seeing meaningful results. Some creators are even doubling their subscriber counts in a few months.

It really made me realize: live content is becoming a bigger lever, even for creators who don’t traditionally focus on Shorts. There’s an opportunity here for engagement, storytelling, and connection that isn’t being fully tapped yet.” - David Drobik, Partner Marketing at Spotter Studio 

What were your top learnings from this year’s VidCon?

Rob’s top learnings: 

• Two conferences in one. VidCon felt split between short-form social creators and long-form "YouTube-as-TV" creators. The needs, conversations, and opportunities between these groups are increasingly distinct.‍
• Smaller was better. Downsizing the featured creator hotel (moving away from the Hyatt) made creators more present throughout the event. Fans got more spontaneous interaction, and it shifted the vibe from corporate to community-oriented. It felt less like “students and professors not mixing” and more like a shared experience again. 

Dorothee’s top learnings:

• The creator economy is fully multiplatform now. It’s not just about YouTube: TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms had large presences. On the community floor, I noticed that some of the biggest fan moments were for creators who weren’t even YouTube-first. That shift really shows how creators are embracing cross-platform presence.
  
• VidCon is what you make it. It’s a weird conference in some ways, but if you lean in and embrace it whether it’s the panels, the fan energy, or the 20th anniversary nostalgia it’s actually a fun and meaningful experience.
  
• Being a creator requires a multifaceted skill set. At one of the Creator MBA sessions, speakers covered everything from ideation and data to relationship building and legal knowledge. It reminded me how complex the job of a creator really is and how important it is to support them across all those domains.

David’s top learnings:

• IRL connection is irreplaceable. No matter how advanced AI, VR, or other tech becomes, nothing beats meeting people in person. These conferences exist not for panels, but to bring people together. Real relationships are still the foundation of the creator economy. ‍
• YouTube is still king. Everyone I talked to wants to crack long-form on YouTube. It’s where the money is. It’s where the best audience connections happen. It’s the only platform I’d bet on long-term coming out of VidCon. ‍
• YouTube on TV is the next wave. More creators are thinking about how their content plays on the big screen whether it's 20-minute videos, podcasts, or optimized shorter content. As YouTube becomes the new television, creators have to consider how their work fits into that lean-back viewing experience.

VidCon reminded us why we do what we do. The creator journey is getting more complex: more platforms, more roles, more pressure to be everything at once. But it’s also more exciting than ever. We left energized, with new ideas for how Spotter Studio can better support Creators like you. Whether that’s helping you ideate more effectively, spot insights from your data, or navigate the changing landscape with clarity. These are more than trends to us. They’re signals shaping the tools we build and the way we partner with creators like you.