YouTube sees potential to set up TV-like content soon

YouTube is trying out another way to further align with evolving trends, by adding in new “Choose Your Own Adventure” style content, while it’s also changing its pricing and options for its YouTube TV offering.

YouTube sees potential to set up TV-like content soonOn the first point, YouTube sees potential to combine the engagement features of its platform with TV-like content, by giving users the option to decide the direction of the narrative.

As digital video consumption is also rising, TV advertising is still huge, with print and TV combined (‘traditional’ ad platforms) set to rake in $109 billion in ad spend in 2019.

But what if a digital platform could provide TV-like content with online interaction elements built in? That would usurp the need for traditional TV altogether – take out the middleman and you can reap all the benefits.

It seems like a logical, beneficial conclusion for digital platforms to make, but thus far, none of them have been able to make it work.

Will YouTube’s ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ option help it cross that threshold? I’d say probably not, but there’s no harm in trying. And it’s not like they need mass take-up for it to be a success.

If they can get enough users on, say, YouTube Kids alone interested in the option, that could be enough to spark habitual viewing behaviors that will eventually flow through into adult consumption behaviors.

Logically, it does seem like there could be a way for a digital platform to crack the video engagement code, but none have made the leap just yet. Maybe the next experiment will be the big winner.