A YouTube market is a natural grouping of viewers who share similar interests and watching habits. Unlike niches, markets are constantly changing meaning your content can attract viewers from any market where it provides value, regardless of its primary topic or theme.

Imagine a YouTuber making a video titled "Last To Stop Playing Minecraft Wins $100,000." While it seems like a gaming video, it explodes in multiple YouTube markets:

• Gaming fans watch it for Minecraft content

• Competition lovers watch it for the challenge

• Finance enthusiasts watch it to see money-winning strategies

• Entertainment seekers watch it for the drama and personalities

• Aspiring YouTubers study it for content creation tips

The key point is that a video can "sell" in any market where it provides value, regardless of its original intended category.

Markets move through different phases (market phases). These phases can help YouTubers know about changes in viewer demand and strategize effectively. Understanding these phases is important because it allows you to enter markets with growth potential or avoid the pitfalls of saturated or declining markets. Markets can be categorized into the following according to Wono, a well-known YouTube master:

Unestablished markets

Topics that haven't yet developed a dedicated audience or creator base, a content space that doesn’t exist yet.

Pros:

• First-mover advantage and no competition: You can be the leader with this topic. You get to set the standard.

• High potential reward: If you succeed, there’s a high potential reward.

Cons:

• Risky: There’s no guarantee anyone will watch this topic.

• Might take a long time: Building an audience in a new market can take years, if it happens at all.

Common mistakes YouTubers make in this market:

• Creating content about something which there is no demand for

Emerging markets

Content spaces experiencing rapid growth in viewer interest, typically new markets rising. For example AI-generated content.

Pros:

• Easy to attract viewers: There’s high demand but low supply, so people will notice your content.

• Quick growth potential: Trending topics means you can grow fast.

Cons:

• Could be short-lived: Interest might disappear if the trend fades quickly.

• Constant updates needed: You’ll need to keep up with changes to stay relevant.

Common mistakes YouTubers make in this market:

• Thinking a trend is easy views just because it is a trend

• Creates trend content that is not compatible with their channel offering, creating multiple audiences on the same channel. This builds inactive subscribers

Established markets

These are popular, busy markets with lots of creators and viewers. There are tons of videos, and people already know they want to watch this type of content. For example fortnite, minecraft, bitcoin, etc.

Pros:

• Reliable audience: Many viewers have been looking for this topic consistently over time

• Easy to get views early on: There’s an established base of viewers, so it’s easier to get views when you publish

Cons:

• Lots of competition: Standing out can be hard when so many people are already doing it.

• Slower growth: Because the space is crowded, it takes time to rise above the rest.

Common mistakes YouTubers make in this market:

• Copying the competition

• Lacking an unique video offering

Declining markets

Previously popular markets where both viewers and creators are slowly leaving. The topic is losing popularity over time. For example old games, old technology, etc.

Pros:

• Dedicated viewers remain: People still interested in this topic tend to be very passionate.

• Less competition: Most creators have moved on, so it’s easier to be noticed by those left.

Cons:

• Little growth potential: It’s tough to grow in a market that’s shrinking.

• Harder to make money: Fewer viewers means fewer ways to earn from ads or products.

Common mistakes YouTubers make in this market:

• High expectations: expecting views that is no longer possible

Tiny markets

Description: Small markets with few viewers but a dedicated following. These are usually niche topics with a specific audience. For example retro product videos.

Pros:

• Loyal fans: The viewers are often passionate and will stick around.

• Strong convertibility: Smaller audiences can sometimes be more profitable, especially if they’re into specialized products.

Cons:

• Hard to grow big: The audience is small, so reaching many viewers can be tough.

• Takes time to build trust: You’ll need to create detailed, valuable content for this dedicated audience. It might require a specific type of knowledge.

Common mistakes YouTubers make in this market:

• High expectations: expecting views that is not possible

Shadow markets

Topics with hidden interest. People don’t know they want to watch this content until they see it. Very few videos exist here.

Pros:

• Potential for viral growth: Little to no competition, so you can gain a big audience fast.

• Creative freedom: You can shape how the topic is presented.

Cons:

• Hard to discover: It’s tough to know if people will be interested before you make content.

• Difficult to maintain: It can be hard to keep viewers coming back once the novelty wears off.

Common mistakes YouTubers make in this market:

• Not daring to create something new and unique because there’s no guarantee it will succeed