The Business of YouTube

A weekly strategic lens for senior leaders into how YouTube is reshaping the business of technology, sports, music, entertainment, and culture.

Welcome!
To your favourite newsletter, The Business of YouTube, brought to you by Paola Marinone and Bengü Atamer, founders of BuzzMyVideos and previously at YouTube and Google. We are bringing our exclusive insights from 20 years of experience leading strategy at YouTube and Google.

Winning the Battle for Attention: Insights from the SportOnSocial International Federations Report 2026

Hey everyone, it’s Bengu & Paola here. The landscape for International Federations (IFs) has shifted from a race for reach to a battle for memory.

With the Paris 2024 glow fading and the Milano Cortina 2026 finishing in full swing, we have been inspired by Estaban Gonzalez’s (3x3 Digital Content Senior Manager @ FIBA) great LinkedIn post. We took a pass at providing you with some insights from the SportOnSocial International Federations Report 2026, published by RedTorch

1. The 21-Minute Window: A Tight Race for Relevance

The average fan spends 141 minutes per day on social media, but only about 21 minutes of that is dedicated to sports content.

• The Fragmented Reality: This 21-minute window is split across 2–4 platforms, leaving your organization with roughly 8 minutes per platform to capture and hold attention.

• The Takeaway: High volume no longer guarantees success. The average IF posts 11–15 times per day, double the rate of commercial properties, yet still struggles with engagement efficiency. Quality and distinctiveness are now the primary levers for growth.

2. Platform Pivot: The Resurgence of Facebook & TikTok

While Instagram has traditionally been a powerhouse, the 2026 data shows a significant diversification in where engagement is actually growing.

• Facebook's Second Wind: Contrary to "dead platform" narratives, Facebook saw a +29% increase in engagement and a +21% rise in audience growth for IFs, the highest of any Western platform. Its strength lies in nostalgia and archival storytelling.

• TikTok as a Discovery Engine: Alongside Facebook, TikTok was the only other platform to see collective YoY engagement growth (+17%). 30 of the 44 tracked IFs saw engagement gains here, driven by short-form video that captures younger demographics.

• Instagram’s Fatigue: For the second consecutive year, Instagram engagement fell (-21%), signalling that the platform is becoming increasingly crowded and harder to achieve organic cut-through.

3. Video is No Longer Optional: It’s the Default

The "pivot to video" is now complete. Video content accounts for 62% of all IF posts, up from 54% in 2022.

• Format Shifts: Reels on Instagram (+18%) and Facebook (+17%) are driving interaction, while non-video posts have declined by -7% across the board.

• The Insight: YouTube is a major missed opportunity. Despite its massive user base, IF penetration remains low at 2%, suggesting a significant untapped audience for long-form and "Shorts" content.

4. Strategic Imperative: The "No Logo" Test

Leaders must move beyond simple reach metrics and focus on brand salience—being the first sport a fan thinks of when they have a "void to fill".

• Distinctive Brand Assets (DBAs): Can your content be identified without a logo? Success in 2026 belongs to those who use sensory cues, like UCI’s rainbow bands or Wimbledon’s purple and green, to build mental pathways in fans.

• Human-Centric Content: "Authenticity" is the antidote to AI-generated noise. Top-performing IFs like FIFA and ICC are winning by focusing on raw athlete reactions and relatable human moments over polished highlights.

5. China: The Untapped Frontier

While Western platforms saw post-Olympic dips, Chinese platforms (Weibo, Douyin, WeChat) continued to grow by +18% YoY.

• Engagement Surges: WeChat saw a massive +476% surge in engagement.

• Strategic Move: China is no longer an "optional" market; it is a high-focus area for any IF seeking long-term global attention outside the traditional Olympic cycles.

To win, stop chasing vanity metrics and start building memory. If your content doesn't build a mental link back to your brand, you are simply creating free equity for your competitors.

Have you missed our Sport Masterclass?
DOWNLOAD OUR SPORTS 2026 YOUTUBE STRATEGY PLAYBOOK HERE

The Business of YouTube - Job Board 📈

We have curated what is open and available in the market, and who is hiring!

Happy job hunting!

Europe

Head of Social Media - Chelsea Football Club (London)

Social and Digital Media Officer - World Snooker Team (Bristol)

YouTube Channel Manager - Social at Manchester United (Manchester)

Creative Director at Jungle Creations (Maternity Cover - London)

Director of Content Coordination at IOC (Madrid)

NORTH AMERICA

Manager, Channel Strategy - Kids & Family - The Orchard (Los Angeles)

Senior Coordinator, Content Marketing at MLS (New York)

Creator Acquisition Manager at Suno (Los Angeles)

Digital Director, Digital Manager, Digital Coordinator at TKO (WWE HQ, Stamford, CT)

Global Social Media at The IronMan Group (Louisville, CO or Tampa, FL)

If you have a senior YouTube/Video/Social Media/Content opening, and you want us to add it to our Job Board, please write to us at [email protected] or [email protected].

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