MrBeast explains why YouTube offers creators stronger communities and long-term success.
The debate over the best platform for content creators is as old as the creator scene itself: Is it still worth focusing on YouTube, or have TikTok and Instagram become the more effective places to grow an audience? One of the world’s most successful YouTubers, Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson, has a clear opinion especially for creators who want more than just fleeting attention.
YouTube Creates Real Connection
At the 2025 DealBook Summit, Donaldson explained that while creators should have a presence on multiple platforms, YouTube remains the most important foundation. Short-form formats like Reels or TikToks can reach massive audiences, but they often generate only superficial engagement. Those looking to build a loyal community and a long-term business have far better chances on YouTube.
Donaldson attributes this to the way people consume content. On TikTok, users can watch hundreds of clips in just an hour without remembering most of them, whereas longer videos create a completely different level of engagement. Spending 15 or 20 minutes on a creator automatically builds more connection and interest in the person behind the content a key factor for community growth, brand partnerships, and monetization.
The YouTube star also illustrates this phenomenon with an example familiar to many creators: accounts with millions of followers on short-form platforms often struggle to get fans to attend meet-and-greets. Reach, therefore, does not automatically equal relevance. On YouTube, by contrast, viewers more often become a loyal fan base that actively supports a creator’s projects
YouTube Over TikTok, Says MrBeast
Despite his clear preference, MrBeast warns against ignoring other platforms. The digital landscape is fragmented, and there are audiences that exist solely on TikTok, Instagram, or similar apps. As Donaldson puts it, creators who don’t post there ‘simply don’t exist in their world.’ Successful creators, therefore, need to think across platforms using YouTube as the foundation and short-form content as an extension.
Ultimately, Donaldson sees YouTube as the leading platform for creators who want to turn their reach into a sustainable business. The platform offers stronger monetization options, long-term visibility, and a closer connection to the community. Short-form platforms remain important additions to a creator’s content mix, but, in his view, YouTube remains the center of a creator’s career.
What do you think? Do you agree with him? Share your thoughts in the comments!