Research by Kapwing found that 59% of videos served to a new TikTok account were classified as AI slop. this highlights just how saturated some feeds have become. YouTube is also taking action. It now includes the following declaration on upload: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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They are also clarifying their policies around repetitive and mass-produced content that lacks originality. As the novelty fades, originality, personality and genuine human involvement is likely to become increasingly valuable qualities in content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Short-form storytelling gets even shorter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Short-form video isn’t going anywhere but it is developing into new forms Microdramas for example are a new short-form trend to watch. These vertically shot serials typically tell an ongoing story across dozens of episodes, with individual instalments lasting just 45 seconds to two minutes. Popular storylines include romance, revenge, workplace drama, secret identities, family betrayal and supernatural twists. Each episode is designed to deliver a hook and cliffhanger that keeps viewers coming back. Think soup opera format but at a fraction of the length. Reuters reports that the US microdrama market is already worth around $1.5 billion. Expect creators to experiment with increasingly compact storytelling and highly efficient narratives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Long-form content makes a comeback<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With so much emphasis on short-form content in recent years, it’s easy to forget that not every audience is looking for bite-sized entertainment. Long-form YouTube videos, podcasts and documentaries offer something short-form often can’t: depth. Both formats have their place, but as audiences become overwhelmed by endless streams of short clips, longer content is seeing a resurgence. YouTube is also increasingly competing with traditional television as a destination for serious viewing, giving creators more opportunities to produce longer, more substantial content. Some of the biggest channels on YouTube such as Diary of a CEO and The Joe Rogan Podcast regularly offer content that is often over an hour long. These can also be clipped up to provide even more content options. So for those who can hold attention over a longer time long-form content can offer not only deeper audience engagement but also considerably greater revenue potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The future of content may place less emphasis on being slick and polished and more on feeling authentic and real. As a potential reaction to the growing influence of AI, audiences increasingly want personality, opinions, experiences and a sense that there is a genuine person behind what they are watching. High production values are no longer necessarily the priority, particularly when audiences can find highly polished content across traditional media. Instead, there is growing interest in relatable creators who feel accessible and genuine. This is reflected in recent creator research, which found that 75% believe human-created content is becoming a premium in the AI era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The era of influencer marketing thats dominated by celebrities and creators with millions of followers is changing. A new trend towards smaller, more niche creators is emerging as the mega influencers become more selective, not to mention unaffordable. EMARKETER predicts that micro- and nano-influencers will receive 45.5% of influencer marketing spending in 2026. While the larger more established influencers have mass appeal on their side, smaller creators can offer brands highly targeted communities and stronger niche credibility. Brands will therefore have to allocate more resources trying to identify and target smaller micro and nano influencers. By securing partnerships while these influencers are growing their influence they can build relationships that can develop over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the fickle and ever-changing online world, creators are learning that building an audience entirely on one social platform carries obvious risks. To combat this, more creators are developing their own websites, newsletters, blogs, podcasts, communities and memberships, giving them more direct relationships with their audiences. There is also a growing trend towards adapting the same core content for different platforms. For example, producing a long-form YouTube video or podcast and then repurposing clips for Shorts, Reels and TikTok. This approach creates greater independence from changing algorithms and platform trends, while allowing creators to reach new audiences in different ways. For anyone looking to build a sustainable business and brand, developing this kind of diversified content strategy is likely to become increasingly important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With technological advances and the integration of AI, the solo creator increasingly has the power to become a miniature production company. For those starting out, this can mean taking on roles that would once have been shared across an entire team, including planning, scriptwriting, filming, presenting, editing, thumbnail design, community management and marketing. Fortunately, there are now more tools than ever to assist with or automate many of these tasks. Even smartphone manufacturers are responding to the demands of creators. For example, Google’s Pixel 11 Creator Suite offers features such as a teleprompter, vocal enhancement and external microphone controls designed specifically for content production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps the biggest and most significant long-term trend will be the growing value placed on personality. Creators themselves are likely to become increasingly central to their content and the communities that form around it. While AI can generate convincing scripts, images and video, it currently cannot easily replicate the personality, humour, knowledge, experiences and individual perspective that make a creator unique. That human-to-human connection is likely to become even more valuable as audiences increasingly find themselves questioning what is real and what is fake. The creators who ultimately succeed may not be those producing the slickest or highest volume of content, but those who cultivate genuine connections and give audiences a reason to keep coming back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With so much emphasis likely to be placed on human connection and emotional resonance, few things reinforce these qualities quite like music and sound. Audio can establish mood, drive a narrative, heighten emotion and help reinforce a creator’s identity. Those who use sound effectively could therefore gain an advantage, particularly with longer-form content where audiences are more likely to watch with the audio on. Research from a leading royalty-free music company in 2026 found that 83% of creators believe human-made sound creates stronger emotional connections, highlighting the continuing value of carefully chosen music and audio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, while AI can now instantly generate prompt driven music and sound beds, creators should be aware that audiences may subliminarily recognise and respond negatively to the artificial nature of this audio. Much like visual AI content, genuinely human-produced music and performances stand a higher chance of being valued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/routenote-licensing-blog\/2026\/08\/330fbc52-dsc08651-enhanced-nr-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n5. Authenticity becomes more valuable than perfection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Smaller creators will become increasingly valued<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. Diversifying beyond individual platforms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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8. Creators become increasingly multi-skilled<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
9. Heightened value placed on personality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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10. The increased importance of music and sound <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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