YouTube Should Be the Foundation of Your Social Media Strategy
If you’re running a business in 2025, chances are you’ve been asked, or you’ve asked, how to win at social media. Nine times out of ten, the conversation starts with Instagram. Sometimes TikTok makes the cut. Occasionally Facebook gets a nostalgic mention. But what if we told you that YouTube is actually the platform you should be focusing on first?
The Content Trap
I personally hear it constantly, “Can you manage our Instagram?” It makes sense, Instagram is visual, fast, and feels ‘current.’ But the reality of the digital landscape is changing, and businesses that want to future-proof their content should be building their strategy around YouTube first.
Here’s why.
The Stats Don’t Lie
According to the most recent UK data (June 2025)
• YouTube reaches 79% of the UK population, surpassing Instagram (48.2%) and TikTok (36.6%).
• Among 18–24-year-olds, YouTube sees 97% usage, even higher than TikTok’s 61%.
• It maintains solid engagement across all age groups, with 87% of 25–34s and a respectable 65% of 55+ users still active on the platform.
• YouTube is not just a video hub, it’s the second largest search engine in the world.
Compare that with Instagram and TikTok, which have narrower demographic bands and shorter content shelf lives. Instagram might get your product seen today, but YouTube builds brand memory and audience trust long-term.
Long Form Content is the Foundation, Not the Add-On
By making YouTube the core of your video strategy, you unlock a bank of evergreen, searchable, long-form content.
Once filmed and edited, that 10-minute explainer, behind-the-scenes feature, or customer story becomes the raw material for every other platform:
• Chop it into Instagram Reels
• Make TikToks from funny, relatable, or informative snippets
• Export to Facebook for your core, loyal following
• Add captions and clips to LinkedIn for business visibility
Suddenly, your single video becomes 15+ pieces of content with purpose.
Rethink the Strategy
If you’re investing in content creation, photography, video, UGC, make sure you’re not burning your budget on visuals that disappear after 24 hours.
YouTube content gives your business life beyond the scroll.
• Want discoverability? YouTube.
• Want credibility? YouTube.
• Want search traffic, passive engagement, and long-form value? YouTube.
Build Up, Then Break Down
Instead of starting with Instagram and trying to stretch it to other platforms, start with YouTube-quality content, then break it down strategically for social. That’s how smart content lives longer, performs better, and delivers more return.
Still planning to shoot just for Instagram?
Let’s think bigger.