As YouTube continues to dominate the connected TV space, brands and content creators alike are recognising the unmatched power of fandom. In our latest webinar ‘YouTube Content Strategies to Engage Fandoms’, our social experts Ginny Van de Wall, VP of Partnerships and Platform Strategy; Evan Allen, Associate Director, Partnerships and Platform Strategy, and Robbie Spargo, Co-Managing Director, Agency, explored how to craft content that not only entertains, but cultivates deep, lasting audience connections.
Here are our top 5 takeaways from the session that will supercharge your YouTube strategy by tapping into fandoms:
- Fandoms Begin with Casual Viewers - But They Don’t Stay Casual for Long
Fandoms are born from emotional connection. 85% of 14 - 44-year-olds identify as fans, and 73% of them head to YouTube for content about what they love. The journey from casual viewer to superfan starts with broad, accessible content like bloopers or trending Shorts and deepens through meaningful engagement.
👉 Pro Tip: Build a rabbit hole of content. Let viewers dive deeper into theories, behind-the-scenes footage, and curated playlists that transform passive watchers into passionate advocates.
- Tailor Content to the Fandom Funnel: Casual → Active → Pro
Understanding fandom tiers is essential. Ginny and Evan broke down the content types that best serve each level:
- Casual Fans discover content through trends and low-commitment formats (like Shorts or full episodes).
- Active Fans want more: compilations, behind-the-scenes stories, and commentary.
- Pro Fans crave niche, detailed content and often drive conversation on forum platforms like Reddit.
Each format is a strategic tool. By layering content, you allow audiences to find their place and level up their engagement over time.
- Relevance is Everything: Lean Into Trends and the Zeitgeist
Whether it’s a trending sound or a show anniversary, fandoms thrive on shared cultural moments. Brands should be making a calendar of important pop culture dates – character anniversaries, IP holidays, holidays and smallidays and plan for how you can lean into those in a timely manner. Engaging in super fan behaviour, such as knowing that it’s been 1-year to the date since a couple everyone ships first kissed, will help you attract those invested fandoms.
👉 Example: When the recent Love Island “mommy” audio trend went viral, smart brands played along by remixing their IP characters into the meme, winning favor with existing fans and attracting new ones.
- Community Engagement Is the Secret Sauce
Evan showcased how the Community YouTube channel excels by speaking the fan’s language. From “fan-speak” titles to interactive polls, quizzes, and comment-driven posts, every touchpoint invites fans into a deeper relationship with the IP.
✨ Best practices:
- Use playlists to curate experiences (e.g., “Best of [Character]”)
- Use opinion posts and Q&A prompts to spark dialogue
- Inject personality - fans want to feel the person behind the brand and connect with the characters they know inside-out
And remember: the best-performing content often gets the most comments, not just views. Engagement is a sign of a thriving fandom.
- Sports Fandoms Are Evolving - And Creators Are Leading the Way
Robbie highlighted how creators are redefining the boundaries of traditional fandoms, especially in the sports world. Where once match action was king, now fandom spreads across behind-the-scenes, reactions, simulators, livestreams, and commentary.
Standout examples:
- Formula 1 transformed itself into an entertainment ecosystem - from social to streaming to cinema.
- Creators like Ilona Maher have reshaped club followings and fan demographics, proving that personality-led content wins hearts and market share.
👉 The future of sports – and content in general – is headed toward interactivity, watch-alongs, and D2C experiences via platforms like YouTube.
Final Thought
When you create content that considers how fans engage at different levels, you’re not just creating videos – you’re building community. Whether you’re a global brand or a niche creator, the path to success lies in understanding, nurturing, and celebrating your fandom.
You can watch the full webinar here.
Little Dot Studios is an award winning social media agency, multi-platform production company and digital media network, specialising in leveraging IP and building fandoms. If you’re interested in a YouTube channel strategy, get in touch with us today.