YouTube Shorts, the short-form video platform launched globally from India, was Google’s answer to TikTok. While TikTok still remains banned in India — and yet one of the most popular apps in the world — Shorts has seen a lot of traction. According to Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube, Shorts has garnered trillions of views in less than four years.
Speaking at the YouTube Brandcast event in New Delhi, Mohan said "Indian creators are making videos inspired by local trends that go on to define global culture.” According to a report by news agency PTI, Mohan said that India now boasts a thriving creator community on YouTube, with over 11,000 channels, which have more than a million subscribers each.
Mohan also mentioned that the platform’s popularity extends beyond mobile devices, as it has emerged as the most streamed service on Connected TVs in India. “YouTube is number one in reach and watchtime in India. We just passed a huge milestone. Shorts, which we first launched in India, now has trillions of views here.”
Unsurprisingly, cricket videos remain extremely popular. More than 50 billion views were garnered by cricket videos over the last year. “This includes all the moments that build community around cricket, like livestream 'watchalongs' of the T20 World Cup win, creators reenacting big IPL matches, and videos that show players’ lives off the field, like a wedding proposal,” Mohan said.
He also stressed on the fact that creators are becoming hugely popular. Citing the example of creator Prajakta Koli, he said that her comedy journey on YouTube led to a starring role in a Netflix series and her Bollywood debut. “And Diljit Dosanjh, the first Punjabi artist to perform at Coachella,” said Mohan.
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