Much of the talk at VidCon 2026 focused on how long-form horizontal content is at the forefront of rewiring the traditional Hollywood model. On a panel about convergence, Pocketwatch CEO Chris H. Williams declared, “If it works on YouTube, it’ll work anywhere,” pointing to The Besties’ crossover success on Hulu and, soon, Amazon Fire TV Stick.
A recurring topic across panels was how streamers like Hulu, Amazon, and Tubi are recruiting creators, acquiring their YouTube libraries, or funding original content. But what does it take to make a video go viral on YouTube in 2026?
That was the question Vidcon attendees had in mind as they sat down for the panel titled Decoding the Algorithm: What Your Audience Actually Wants on YouTube. Presented by YouTube, this three-person panel featured YouTube Creator Liaison and Head of Editorial Rene Ritchie, YouTuber Katarina Mogus, and YouTube Senior Director of Growth and Discovery Todd Beaupré.
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VidCon 2026: Live updates from the internet’s biggest weekend
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