YouTube will let creators turn videos into bingeable TV shows
YouTube has unveiled new features to help creators reach TV audiences and increase ad revenue.
YouTube is making it easier for creators to grow their audiences on the big screen, with new updates focused on TV viewing. At its latest Brandcast event, YouTube announced a pilot programme that lets creators organise their videos into seasons and episodes – turning regular YouTube content into binge-worthy “TV shows.”
The feature is part of a wider move to help creators tap into the growing number of people watching YouTube on their televisions. According to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, creators making a majority of their revenue on TV screens was up more than 30% year-over-year, as reported by TechCrunch. ouTube has been steadily climbing as a dominant platform for TV viewing, with record highs in TV streaming time reported in December 2024.
This new format, which is expected to roll out to hundreds of creators in the US this summer, is designed to make it easier for viewers to sit down and watch multiple videos in a row – just like they would with traditional TV. Popular creators like Challenge Accepted’s Michelle Khare and Good Mythical Morning with Rhett & Link will be among the first to test this new setup.
The aim is to make YouTube content more bingeable, helping creators reach the audience that prefers long-form viewing on TV. This could open the door for independent creators to build stronger connections with fans and attract more ad revenue from the growing world of TV advertising. YouTube is also redesigning its TV app interface to support this shift.
In addition to the TV show-style features, YouTube also announced new tools for shopping and advertising. These include QR codes and send-to-phone features that make it easier for viewers to buy products they see in videos. YouTube will also use Gemini AI to match ads with trending and relevant content.
Another big announcement was YouTube’s expanding partnership with the NFL. YouTube will exclusively stream the first Friday game of the 2025-2026 season – live from São Paulo, Brazil. This marks the first time YouTube has served as a live broadcaster for the NFL. In the US, the game will be available to YouTube TV subscribers. YouTube shared that fans watched “over 350 million hours of NFL content” on the platform last year and that its stream of the Super Bowl LIX Flag Football Game brought in “over 6 million live views.”
This NFL deal not only boosts YouTube’s presence in live sports but also signals its intent to compete directly with traditional TV networks – a move that could benefit creators in the long run by attracting more advertising money to the platform.
YouTube’s push to make content more bingeable on TV, combined with smarter ad placement using AI, shows the platform’s commitment to helping creators grow and earn more. For independent creators, this is a chance to reach bigger audiences in new ways and tap into a rapidly expanding market where TV and online video are merging.