I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how attention works. Not just in a theoretical sense, but in the very practical, boots-on-the-ground way that drives whether someone clicks or scrolls, watches or bounces. YouTube is one of the clearest microcosms of that battle - and lately, it’s been undergoing a transformation that too many brands and creators haven’t caught up with.
I recently listened to a podcast episode with strategist Paddy Galloway, someone who’s been behind tens of billions of YouTube views. Some of his insights confirmed what I’ve already been seeing in the space. Others pushed me to refine the way I think about packaging, production, and platform behavior.
Here’s how I’ve been framing it:
YouTube Isn’t About Video. It’s About the Click.
This has become a bit of a mantra for me lately: if they don’t click, they don’t watch. It sounds obvious, but most people still behave like the content itself is what matters most. It’s not. At least not first.
What I’ve been working on with my own clients and teams is shifting the starting point. Packaging isn’t a finishing touch, it’s the foundation. Title, thumbnail, tension. If you're not building your idea from those elements up, you're already behind.
Paddy’s framework reinforced this. He talked about how the best-performing videos often started with 30+ title variations. The idea that small creative adjustments can generate a 10x or even 100x view difference isn’t just interesting - it’s operationally crucial.
From Search to Suggested = A Whole New Game
One of the clearest changes I’ve observed - and Galloway echoed this - is how YouTube has evolved from a search-driven platform to a feed-based discovery engine. If you’re still building content around SEO and hoping people will “find” it, you’re building for an outdated system.
This change puts enormous pressure on the front end: what gets them to stop scrolling? What makes them commit to the first 15 seconds?
What I often ask now isn’t “Is the content good?” but “Is the packaging impossible to ignore?” These are very different questions - and they produce very different strategies.
Creators Are Playing to Win. Brands Are Playing It Safe.
This is something I’ve been saying for a while now. Brands still treat YouTube like a dumping ground for videos. Internal interviews, webinars, recaps. But unless you’re building a show, something with an actual concept and repeatable structure, you’re not playing the same game as the creators who are winning.
What’s wild is that brands actually have more resources, more access, and more stories to tell. But they get in their own way. Meanwhile, creators operate with tight feedback loops, immediate iteration, and relentless clarity on audience value.
If I ran content for a legacy brand today, I wouldn’t build a content team, I’d build a studio. Same mindset, different output.
Views Are Lagging Indicators. Retention Is What Matters.
Another shift I’ve made personally is focusing on metrics that predict success instead of just reflect it. Views are great, but I care far more about average view duration, click-through rate, and return visitors. If someone watches 40% of your video and comes back next week, you’ve earned something. If they click out at 7 seconds, you’ve lost them - no matter how good the back half of your video is.
Galloway mentioned something I’ve started doing myself: prediction sheets. Guessing performance before upload forces clarity. If a video underperforms, was it the idea, the packaging, or the content? Knowing that answer is how you get better.
What’s Next? Brands as Studios. Creators as Producers.
This is the direction I see everything heading. Brand channels need to stop being about the brand. They need to be about the audience experience. That means format development, creator-led series, real storytelling.
One line from the podcast that stuck with me: “If you wouldn’t air it on Netflix, why would you post it on YouTube?” It’s extreme but useful.
I’ve been experimenting with this shift myself. Thinking in terms of repeatable content IP, not one-offs. Designing around retention, not just reach. Watching how short-form, long-form, and podcast content can all live under one roof, but serve different goals.
Final Takeaway
The platforms don’t owe us anything. Attention has to be earned, and that starts with a shift in mindset - from making videos to making decisions that drive consumption.
YouTube isn’t what it was even three years ago. If your content strategy hasn’t evolved since then, you’re playing a game that no longer exists.
The good news? The brands and creators who do adapt - who build systems around click-worthiness, storytelling, and retention - still have a massive opportunity to lead.
—
Want help thinking through your channel strategy or building something that actually gets watched? You know where to find me.