Why ‘Format’ Doesn’t Work Anymore

You know that thing where you’re halfway through folding the washing, your phone’s buried under the duvet, and there’s a disembodied voice rambling in the background — summoned by the YouTube autoplay gods? (My girlfriend refers to the collective voices of my weekly watches as “the American man” — “Can you turn the American man off? It’s 2am and I’m trying to sleep.”)

You’re not really watching it. But it’s on. And it’s... comforting? Or maybe just distracting.

Is this what content is now? Something to fill the void while we get through the mundane bits of life?

Before this newsletter descends into total despair (though honestly, after such a long hiatus, I’m just happy to be publishing something), there is a point to this reductionism.

For producers coming from traditional media, storytelling instincts are often wrapped around a well-defined structure - a format. But after nearly a decade in digital, it’s clear to me that content structure isn’t what drives engagement anymore. In fact, the traditional content format, strict acts, reliable beats, and predictable pacing, is, frankly, dead.

The Fall of Traditional Content Format

Television required format. TV shows followed clear, repeatable structures because of broadcast constraints: time slots, ad breaks, syndication needs, and international resale etc. Take the old Top Gear model: challenge, main story, studio banter, cutaways -  repeat. It was practically mathematical. But that world doesn’t exist anymore. Audiences today have playback speed, sliders, autoplay settings, and infinite tabs open. The attention economy has splintered traditional media’s hold on structure.

Why Content Structure Doesn’t Work on YouTube

On YouTube, there’s no one way to structure content, and that’s exactly the point. While consistency still matters, what needs to be consistent has shifted. It’s not about hitting your act three twist or pacing an emotional beat at the 17-minute mark. It’s about the vibe, the tone, and the creator’s relationship with their audience.

You don’t need a traditional format. You need a reason for someone to stick around.

The Rise of Longform Video and Second-Screen Culture

Take long-form content on YouTube. Think two-hour video essays, in-depth commentary, or niche explorations no one asked for but everyone watches. These aren’t structured like TV dramas. They’re comfort content, digital companions for doing the washing up or zoning out.

This kind of content rewards second-screen viewing. Audiences dip in and out, and it doesn’t matter. They don’t need to follow every narrative beat to stay engaged. This is content structured by mood, not by moment. It works precisely because it's loose. Longform YouTube succeeds in coexisting with distraction, not competing with it.

Short-Form Content as a Discovery Engine

Now flip the coin. Shor-form video: YouTube Shorts, TikTok clips, Instagram Reels, prioritises impact. These under-a-minute clips are engineered to grab attention instantly. A laugh, a shock, a cliffhanger. They’re designed to be high-intensity, scroll-stopping moments.

And when they work, they become an entry point. Viewers often head straight to the longform video to find context. This reverses the old media funnel. Instead of trailers leading to the show, now a moment leads to the world behind it. The content format isn’t: teaser → full episode → celeb-spin-off. It’s: emotional flashbang (a hook) → deeper vibe (a reason to stay) → creator trust (a desire for more)

Creator-Led Content: The New Format Is Human

And that last bit is everything. Audiences don’t return because you hit structural beats. They return because they trust the person behind the content. The creator is the format now. The human is the hook.

This matters more than ever, especially as brands and broadcasters try, (and often fail)to pivot into digital content. Too often, they chase repeatable templates, strip down video length for retention metrics, or spend big on polished formats that feel like TV in internet cosplay. The result? Content that’s structurally correct but emotionally hollow.

Why Trust Outperforms Structure in Digital Content

Audiences don’t want polish. They want presence. They don’t need your narrative arc; they need to know why you’re talking, and why it matters to them. Consistency doesn’t mean rigidity. Repeatability doesn’t mean recycling. The most successful digital content strategies are built around emotional resonance, not production logic.

The question isn’t: what’s the format? The question is: why would someone spend time here again?

That’s the brief. Not a format doc. Not a clever device. But a sense of meaning and trust. Something a person can discover, follow, and return to — not because it’s familiar, but because it feels alive.

The Future of Content Format

So yes, traditional structure is dead. But what’s replaced it is more powerful: trust, tone, and authenticity. That’s the modern content strategy. The only metric that matters now? Whether your audience wants to be in your world again.

Forget structure. Build trust. That’s the future of content.

If this hit a nerve (or a feed), share it with someone still clinging to their beat sheet.

And if you’re trying to make better content in a world where “format” is a vibe, not a template — subscribe here and let’s talk about it properly next time.