Good morning. This week on Talk Tuah, Haliey Welch welcomed the hosts of Talking Talk Tuah, the podcast dedicated to recapping her show. 100 likes and we’ll launch a companion podcast to the companion podcast, Talking Talking Talk Tuah. 

— Hannah Doyle & Syd Cohen

YouTube Celebrates 20 Years

20 years ago today, YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim published the first video on the platform—a 19-second clip called “Me at the zoo.” In the years following, YouTube has hosted over 5 billion uploads and 2.7 billion monthly active users and become the most watched TV streaming platform.

But beyond numbers, YouTube helped create the career of the creator. Here’s how it happened →

2007: YouTube launches its Partner Program for select creators with “large, persistent audiences,” pioneering the concept of sharing ad revenue with creators. Just one year later, creators like Michael Buckley are already making six figures.

2009: Lucas “Fred” Cruikshank becomes the first creator to reach 1 million subscribers.

2011: YouTube invests $100 million to create original content with its most successful channels, like SourceFed. It makes certain features and monetization perks once reserved for premium channels available to all partners, and it introduces YouTube Analytics.

2012: The algorithm changes—prioritizing watch time over views—leading to a shift away from viral videos and toward more engaging long-form content. PSY’s Gangnam Style is the first video to hit 1 billion views. 

2013: Smosh becomes the first channel to hit 10 million subscribers.

2017: The short-form video app Vine shuts down, and YouTube becomes home to a new generation of lifestyle and commentary creators. 

Also: Adpocalypse happens—YouTube’s biggest advertisers boycott the platform over its handling of community guidelines violations. Creators feel the pain in their own platform earnings.

2019: Pewdiepie becomes the first creator to hit 100 million subscribers.

2020: YouTube launches Shorts in response to the growing popularity of TikTok.  

2024: As AI continues to expand in both popularity and capability, YouTube partners with CAA to protect creators’ likenesses from harmful AI. YouTube becomes the first streamer to pass 10% of total TV viewing.

2025: Podcasting sweeps YouTube—1 billion monthly active users now consume podcast content.

Looking forward: We asked Colin & Samir about their predictions for the future of YouTube.

“20 years from now, we’ll see way more episodic scripted content on YouTube, largely driven by AI creation tools,” Colin told us. “You’d also have to imagine at that point we’ll see the children of major YouTubers inheriting and taking over their parents’ channels.”

LaurDIY Starts Fresh After 13 Years on YouTube

DIY creator Lauren Riihimaki, aka LaurDIY, has amassed over 8 million YouTube subscribers over the last 13 years, making videos on crafting, vlogging, and fashion.

In that time, the platform has changed significantly (see our top story) and so has Riihimaki. So? She’s now reshaping her long-form content with more storytelling and creative editing.

“It felt like the natural response to being in a creative slump and feeling lost,” Riihimaki told us. “How can I do something new that feels exciting? A big part of that was falling in love with editing again.”

That prompted her to rethink how she makes content—and builds her business. 

• Riihimaki and her six-person team primarily run brand deals through short-form content, leaving room to experiment creatively with long-form videos. 

• Riihimaki is also an angel investor and is working on starting her own dog accessory business.

Big picture: Riihimaki plans to stay with her DIY roots on YouTube as the platform continues to evolve across categories like TV and short-form. 

“I think while YouTube keeps growing, there’s a positive side of having your niche. The DIY world provides more people from specific communities,” Riihimaki said. “So even if the view count is smaller, I just hope that in the growth of the platform the algorithm is better and the community is stronger in terms of putting the right content in front of the right people.”

Sponsored by Recraft

Your Design DNA Replicated Infinitely

When you’re trying to build a recognizable brand as a creator, consistency is a must. But recreating your visual style for every thumbnail or post often eats up energy you can’t afford to waste.

Keep all your imagery on-brand with complete control through Recraft.

Make magic happen with its Custom Styles feature. Simply upload examples of your existing work and AI takes care of the rest. From logos to icons, Recraft translates your signature look everywhere.

See why over 3 million people, including creatives at Netflix, trust Recraft with their visual identities. Sign up and get $12 off any plan after your free trial by using the promo code PRESS12 at checkout.

Nickelodeon, Disney Execs Start Kids Creator Content Studio

A group of five creative executives, producers, writers, and directors have teamed up to launch The Kids’ Table, a children and family content production studio making animated content for creators and brands.

The details: The Kids’ Table will offer original IP development, adaptation of existing material, full-scale production, licensing, and distribution services. 

“YouTube creators are the new studios. My own kids want to watch creators more than they want to watch content from media brands,” co-founder Brent Coble, who has worked at brands like Nickelodeon, Jubilee, and The Cut, told us. “So it’s about ‘how can we expand your reach and relevance with kids and not just have this one-off content, but create connections to kids and families?’”

Big picture: Kids' content is heating up on YouTube. Nick Jr. just released its first YouTube-exclusive title, Kid Cowboy, and kids’ content remains one of YouTube’s top viewing categories. Plus, YouTube-native brands like Ms. Rachel and Cocomelon are successfully expanding into merchandise and games.

🔥 Press Worthy

• Instagram rolls out its video editor tool, Edits, globally.

• Jesser and Cam Wilder are hosting a live basketball showdown in Anaheim in June.

• Bluesky is launching blue check verification.

• Dropout announces a summer improv tour, hitting cities across the Midwest and West Coast.

• Roblox is letting creators set regional pricing for in-game purchases.