YouTube’s monthly newsletter invites readers to ‘Try A Trend’

YouTube has launched a new series to spotlight each month’s viral crazes. Try A Trend, which will be distributed in newsletter, video, and blog post formats, will unpack some of the creators, memes, and products that are defining the current era of social media.

The inaugural edition of Try A Trend hit inboxes and YouTube’s Culture & Trends Blog on April 26. Topics covered in the newsletter include VTubers, the 2023 NFL Draft, majorette dancing, and narrative horror. The last of those subjects was also discussed on YouTube’s Like & Describe podcast, so it’s clear that the folks on the Trends & Culture team are really into The Backrooms.

Each edition of Try A Trend also includes a “Creator Spotlight” that celebrates a rising videomaker on YouTube. The individual in the Spotlight is Lisa Nguyen (pictured above), the YouTube Shorts foodie known for her affable vibe and her high tolerance for spicy food. Try A Trend subscribers can check out Nguyen’s recipe for banh mi sandwiches once they’re done examining the rest of the newsletter.

“Today, we’re launching a new series where we surface trends that really pop, that our experts are seeing around the world on YouTube,” reads the introduction to YouTube’s Try A Trend Blog post

. “Whether you’re looking for inspiration for your next video, general YouTube knowledge, or opportunities to get ahead of rising trends, here are some key trends and insights to chew on.”

As that second sentence implies, YouTube is intending for Try a Trend to have an educational bent. Creators who check out the series will also get advice on how to incorporate the featured trends into their own content. In the inaugural edition, that advice comes from creator Jade Beason who worked with the Culture & Trends teams to generate actionable insights.

Beason suggests that camera-shy YouTube hopefuls can use VTuber avatars to account for their social anxieties. She also encourages creators to upload short-form video responses to narrative horror sensations like The Backrooms.

On YouTube Shorts, Try A Trend consumers can find more videos linked to the new series. And if you want to take an even deeper look at the YouTube zeitgeist, make sure to subscribe to our very own Tubefilter newsletter, which brings insights and trends to your inbox every weekday morning.