YouTube festival highlights the power of community

Did you know that millions of South Africans use YouTube to not only explore the world but also learn new things and grow their businesses?

This was according to insights shared at the recent YouTube festival held in Hyde Park. Under the banner YouTube is for Everyone, the festival hosted speakers from the platform, content creators and advertisers who each shared their creative stories with the aim of inspiring a diverse audience.

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Among the insights shared was the platform’s effectiveness, with 94% of users in South Africa using YouTube to gain new information.

“One of the key drivers of these stats is the fact that users can access YouTube on any screen- whether that’s on their mobile phones or TV. TV continues to be a preferred channel for a lot of users with over five million South Africans streaming YouTube on their TVs in May 2022 alone,” said Dr Alistair Mokoena, Google country director.

Creators also play a big role, giving audiences the content they need from the creators they love, said Zeph Masote, YouTube lead for Southern Africa.

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South African creators in particular come from an array of diverse backgrounds and have been empowered through different initiatives like the YouTube Black Voices Fund.

“Since launch, we’ve provided a platform for Africans to share their rich and diverse culture on a global stage, and also offer African users more relevant content.

“Over the years we have consistently built and nurtured great relationships with Africa’s storytellers, and supported their growth through direct partner support, capacity building and funding,” said Masote.

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