This week's Guest Blog Post is brought to you by the DMEXCO Team.
In 2025, YouTube turns 20. That’s two full decades of uploads, trends, and marketing revolutions. What started as a simple video-sharing site is now a cultural engine, a business model, and a must-have channel in any serious marketing strategy. But how did we get here? And more importantly: where are we going next?
YouTube’s rise wasn’t accidental. Its DNA is pure community, fueled by creators who from day one understood that digital audiences crave authenticity, not polish. But it’s the YouTube Partner Programme that turned creators into entrepreneurs. By monetising content and sharing revenue, YouTube didn’t just reward creativity, it turned it into an economy.
That model, simple in theory, has been transformative. Creators could earn real income doing what they love. As a result, the platform attracted not just users, but also creators, brands, and advertisers. The YouTube Partner Programme is a cornerstone of YouTube’s success, creating an ecosystem where content, commerce, and community are inseparably linked.
Additionally, over the years, YouTube’s content formats have evolved alongside user behaviour from short-form virality and livestreams to polished brand storytelling and long-form education. The rise of YouTube Shorts signals another shift, opening new creative territory for advertisers looking to tap into mobile-first, Gen Z audiences.
In Germany, the evolution of YouTube is inseparable from the rise of VideoDays – a festival where fans and creators connect in real life. As Tim Endres, Director of gamescom, puts it: “To begin with, YouTube was almost an insiders’ secret at gamescom. Just a few years later, thousands of fans were lining up to see their favorite YouTubers.” This shift from niche to mainstream says everything about the power of platform culture. It’s fast, it’s participatory, and it’s creator-led. For marketers, that’s the takeaway: the future of influence isn’t top-down. It’s born in the comments section, shared in stories, and amplified through algorithms.
If your brand is still approaching YouTube as just another ad channel, you’re missing the point. This is a space where communities shape narratives. Brands can either contribute to that dialogue or be ignored entirely.
Digital culture doesn’t stand still, and neither should your marketing playbook. That’s why the DMEXCO Conference 2025 is more than just a trade fair. It’s where the next wave of digital business takes shape.
If you’re working in commerce, don’t miss the DMEXCO Commerce Summit. Taking place on 17th September on the Commerce Stage, this summit is where innovation meets execution. Think AI-powered personalisation, seamless omnichannel journeys, and composable commerce architectures that finally break the silos between tech and customer experience. It’s real-world strategy, backed by real-world case studies, and the place to be for anyone serious about the next era of digital retail.
Retail marketers, meanwhile, should circle the afternoon. The DMEXCO Retail Media Summit on 17th September at the Media Stage dives deep into one of the industry’s most disruptive forces. Retail media is reshaping how brands and retailers collaborate, from data-driven targeting to full-funnel campaigns that actually deliver. Expect sharp insights from top retailers, tech innovators, and media leaders who are building advertising ecosystems where Onsite meets Offsite – and shoppers win.
Whether you’re building campaigns on YouTube, innovating your commerce stack, or redefining retail media from the ground up – DMEXCO is where digital momentum turns into real business impact. Join the conversation. Shape the future.
