Nadine Salameh, Campaign Director, Brand Ripplr.YouTube is one of the most powerful platforms in the region, yet it continues to be widely misunderstood when it comes to influencer marketing. Despite its scale, reach, and long-standing presence in consumers’ daily lives, many brands still approach YouTube with outdated assumptions. It is often viewed as slow, expensive, or suitable only for highly produced, long-form content.
In reality, the platform has evolved significantly, and the rise of YouTube Shorts has fundamentally reshaped how creators publish, how audiences consume, and how brands can win on the platform.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that YouTube is built exclusively for long, polished videos that require heavy production and long turnaround times. While long-form content remains an important part of the ecosystem, short-form video now dominates daily consumption. With over 12 million Shorts uploaded every day and more than half of daily YouTube users actively engaging with short-form content, YouTube has become both a lean-back viewing destination and a fast, scrollable feed.
This dual behaviour allows it to operate in a similar way to TikTok and Instagram, while still offering deeper discovery and intent-driven viewing.
What sets YouTube apart is that short-form content on the platform is not consumed passively. Audiences often arrive with intent, whether to learn, explore, or discover something new. This gives Shorts a different role in the funnel, allowing brands to capture attention while also building relevance and consideration in a way that goes beyond pure entertainment.
Another common belief is that YouTube lacks access to emerging or flexible creator talent, making it harder for brands to scale campaigns or test new faces. In practice, Shorts have unlocked an entirely new wave of creator growth across the GCC. Performance on Shorts is driven primarily by the algorithm rather than subscriber count, which means mid-tier and rising creators can achieve strong reach regardless of how established their channel may be. This shift has opened the door for brands to work with a wider pool of talent, balancing credibility with freshness and cultural relevance.
This evolution has also reduced reliance on a small group of legacy YouTubers. Brands are no longer limited to high-cost, high-commitment partnerships in order to see impact. Instead, they can test, scale, and optimise creator partnerships based on performance, storytelling, and audience response, making YouTube a far more flexible platform than it is often perceived to be.
Measurement is another area that tends to be underestimated. While some marketers still view YouTube as harder to track compared to other social platforms, Shorts offer robust analytics that go well beyond surface-level metrics. Brands can gain insights into audience behaviour, view duration, retention, and drop-off points, allowing for more informed optimisation over time. This level of transparency gives marketers a clearer understanding of how content performs and how attention is earned, not just captured.
Cost and speed concerns are also rooted in outdated thinking. Shorts thrive on low-production, authentic formats that feel native to the platform. This makes content faster to produce and often more cost-efficient than expected, placing it competitively alongside TikTok and Instagram. However, where YouTube truly differentiates itself is in longevity. As the world’s second-largest search engine, YouTube allows influencer content to continue surfacing long after its initial posting window, delivering ongoing value rather than short-lived visibility.
As these myths continue to fade, YouTube Shorts are no longer an “extra” or optional channel. They are increasingly becoming a core pillar of modern influencer strategies. By combining scale, credibility, discoverability, and measurable impact, YouTube offers brands a more sustainable and strategic role in the creator ecosystem, one that few platforms can fully replicate.
By Nadine Salameh, Campaign Director, Brand Ripplr.
