YouTube report highlights creator-led shift in online shopping behavior

YouTube’s latest Culture & Trends report reveals how the platform’s ecosystem of creators, communities, and content formats is reshaping online shopping behavior — transforming product discovery into what the report calls “cultural moments.”

Analyzing the top 5,000 most-purchased products and 1,000 highest-transacting videos from early 2025, YouTube found that creator-driven content now plays a central role in how audiences find and buy products. Sixty-one percent of Gen Z users said YouTube helps them discover new brands, while 43% said they feel more loyal to brands recommended by creators.

Creators’ expertise and passion continue to drive purchasing power. Lifestyle channel ChicOnTheCheap converts its deal-hunting content directly into sales for major retailers like Walmart, while streamer CoryxKenshin’s self-published manga sold over 200,000 copies in its first week — propelled by his audience’s shared sense of purpose and representation.

These creators sit at the center of what YouTube identifies as “shoppable communities,” such as SneakerTube, BookTube, and niche fandoms like fragrance or home improvement channels. These networks of specialized creators effectively form “cinematic universes” around specific product categories, influencing not only purchases but the way consumers perceive value and expertise online.

The report also underscores how classic formats — hauls, reviews, wish lists, and gift guides — remain key to conversion. However, specificity is what drives engagement. Videos that clearly reference brands, seasons, or product categories outperform generic titles, aligning with how viewers search for content.

Product trends on YouTube increasingly emerge from these intersections of community and creativity. Beauty creator Sarah Cheung’s viral SACHEU Peel Off Lip Liner STAY-N exemplifies this evolution: the product’s success began with a viral tutorial and grew into a full-fledged trend amplified by celebrity endorsements and creator reviews.

Written by Maya Robertson

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