Author Archives: anzprteam

It’s time to #YouTubeRewind: Here are the videos you liked in 2019

As 2020 draws near, it’s time to celebrate the moments that defined the past twelve months in pop culture. 


In 2019, you were moved by an unlikely country star Lil Nas X and Lil Dicky’s anthem for the Earth (maybe it’s something about a ‘Lil’?!), you joined forces with MrBeast and the rest of the world to make this video the most liked on YouTube, you watched in awe as Katelyn Ohashi nailed that floor routine, and you finally got to see Gordon Ramsay sit down with Sean Evans to take on Hot Ones.

But it was Aussie superstars, Superwog, who maintained their reign, once again appearing in the top trending videos list--this time in the number one spot making us laugh as they headed into the gym. Fellow Aussie creators, The Norris Nuts landed in ninth as Slender Mum let the kids turn 21 for one vlog only.

2019 also saw creators transform into mainstream celebrities with genre-defying influence: James Charles and Tati’s back-and-forth transcended the beauty community, and Shane Dawson continued to find success with his longform docuseries format and foray into the makeup world.

Tuning into the top trending music videos, powerhouse female artists continued to transform the sound of pop. Ari dominated with two songs (7 rings and break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored) in Australia’s top 10--but it was the newest and first Aussie to join YouTube’s Artist on the Rise program, Tones and I, that really got us dancing.

These were all the moments that had Australians watching, commenting and sharing in 2019:
Australia’s Top Trending Videos 
Collectively, these 10 videos were viewed more than 393 million times globally, and the channels behind them total more than 190 million subscribers.

  1. Going to the Gym 
  2. No More Lies 
  3. Make This Video The Most Liked Video on YouTube 
  4. Conspiracy Theories with Shane Dawson 
  5. how to create billie eilish’s “bad guy” 
  6. Gordon Ramsay Savagely Critiques Spicy Wings | Hot Ones 
  7. Minecraft Part 1 
  8. Katelyn Ohashi - 10.0 Floor (1-12-19) 
  9. LETTING OUR KIDS TURN 21 YEARS OLD **GONE WRONG** | Norris Nuts 
  10. 73 Questions With Kim Kardashian West (ft. Kanye West) | Vogue 

Australia’s Top Trending Music Videos 
In 2019, we were hooked on the biggest global releases of the year, singing along to ‘bad guy’ (as well as recreating it) and busting a move to Señorita. It was a breaking Aussie artist that really captured our hearts this year however, with a banger called Dance Monkey.

  1. Billie Eilish - bad guy 
  2. Sam Smith, Normani - Dancing With A Stranger 
  3. Ariana Grande - 7 rings 
  4. Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello - Señorita 
  5. Lil Nas X - Old Town Road (Official Movie) ft. Billy Ray Cyrus 
  6. TONES AND I - DANCE MONKEY (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 
  7. Lil Dicky - Earth (Official Music Video) 
  8. Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber - I Don't Care [Official Video] 
  9. Ariana Grande - break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored 
  10. Taylor Swift - ME! (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco) 

Australia’s Top Trending Music Videos from Australian
Artists Looking at local acts, there’s no surprise that Tones and I has two songs in Australia’s top trending music list after her multiple ARIA Awards wins last month. Amy Shark makes the top 10 for the second year in a row and hip-hop is truly represented with ONEFOUR and Hilltop Hoods.

  1. TONES AND I - DANCE MONKEY (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 
  2. ONEFOUR - Spot the Difference 
  3. ONEFOUR - The Message 
  4. TONES AND I - JOHNNY RUN AWAY (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 
  5. Guy Sebastian - Choir (Official) 
  6. Hilltop Hoods - Exit Sign feat. Illy & Ecca Vandal 
  7. Hp Boyz - BluePrint. (Official Music Video) 
  8. Amy Shark - Mess Her Up (Official Video) 
  9. ONEFOUR - Ladz in the Hood 
  10. Birds of Tokyo - Good Lord (Official Video) 

Top Emerging Australian Creators 
#YouTubeRewind also examined the growth of local channels to unearth the top five Emerging Aussie YouTube Creators for 2019--those that started a channel this year and have seen the largest growth.
Two car channels appear in our top five this year, with mates Al and Woody, and Benny’s Custom Works (you might recognise him from MCMTV2). Rounding out the list is a diverse mix of creators and content with Mully who plays in VR, and Martha from MAFS and Georgia Productions younger sister Lily Grace, who both share insights into their daily lives.

  1. The Skid Factory 
  2. Lily Grace 
  3. Mully 
  4. Benny’s Custom Works 
  5. Martha Kalifatidis 


It's also time for our annual Rewind video. Last year, we made the most disliked video on YouTube, ever. So this year we took a different approach and looked at what you liked--a lot. Our Rewind 2019 video compiles the top videos and creators that you liked, shared, and watched the most around the world, from the biggest games to must-swatch beauty palettes and breakout stars.

So this is it--what your eyes voted for:
YouTube Rewind 2019: For the Record | #YouTubeRewind

For a deeper look at the year on YouTube and to see the top videos and trends across the globe, head to this year's Rewind site.


Posted by Kristine Arnott, Communications Manager, YouTube Australia, and the YouTube Rewind team

Aussies back businesses in the bush and hunt for personalised gifts this festive season

With Christmas less than a month away and Aussie shoppers kicking their festive season shopping into high gear, it’s now or never for small businesses to make sure they are ready online and bringing a little festive inspiration to their customers.

So what’s trending this festive season? According to Google Trends, Aussies are on the hunt for personalised gifts for that special someone! The top related search for Christmas and gifts is “personalised Christmas gifts” - with the most searched personalised items being stubby coolers, Christmas stockings, Christmas balls, tote bags and wine.

And in a sign that Aussies are using the festive season to get behind the campaign to support retailers in rural and regional communities affected by the drought, “buy from the bush” is the top trending* search for gifts in the past month in Australia. In fact, Search interest in “buy from the bush” has spiked +12,200% in the last month.
It’s also the peak period for shopping in Australia, with figures showing that 18 per cent of all online retail sales took place between October and December in 2018 [1]. Yet many Aussie businesses are missing out on opportunities because they are missing a few quick online tricks.

To help small businesses ensure their customers can find them online when it matters - so their customers can find what they need to put under the tree! - Google’s elves have cherry-picked their top  tips for budding businesses:
  • Stand out to customers online by creating a free Business Profile on Google, and update your festive period trading details, add photos of festive stock or store decorations, and create a post sharing holiday events or services like gift wrapping. 
  • Offer a festive deal or some inspiration to your customers online. Attract new customers and savvy shoppers with festive offers through your Business Profile on Google.
  • Make sure your website is mobile friendly, with 26.4 per cent of online sales in Australia made via mobile. [2] Use Test My Site to receive recommendations for your site. 
  • Be seen and make an impact with online advertising. Google’s Digital Garage offers a free course dedicated to just this - in three hours users can learn how to create a successful advertising and marketing strategy. 
It’s never been easier to reach new customers online. And with a few simple steps, Aussie business owners will be set for online success this festive season and beyond!

[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (2018), 8501.0 - Retail Trade, Australia, December 2018
[2] Australia Post Annual E-Commerce Report 2019

*Trending queries are terms that have seen a spike in search interest in the given time period compared with the previous equivalent period.

SEARCH INSIGHTS

  • Search interest in “Christmas gifts” is up +260% in the past month in Australia.
  • The top related search for Christmas and gifts is “personalised Christmas gifts”, followed by “DIY Christmas gifts”.
  • “Buy from the bush” is the top trending* search for gifts in the past month in Australia.
    • Search interest in “buy from the bush” has spiked +12,200% this month.

Top related searches for “Christmas gifts” in the past month in Australia:

  • Personalised Christmas gifts
  • DIY Christmas gifts
  • Christmas gifts for kids
  • Personalised baby gifts
  • Funny Christmas gifts
  • Homemade Christmas gifts
  • Christmas gifts for men
  • Christmas gift boxes
  • Christmas presents for boyfriend
  • Christmas gifts for mum

Top related searches for “personalised gifts” in the past month in Australia:

  • Personalised stubby coolers
  • Personalised Christmas stockings
  • Personalised Christmas ball
  • Personalised tote bags
  • Personalised wine






Go West! Google provides free digital skills training to Perth and Rockingham communities

Grow with Google has wrapped up 2019 by taking the free digital skills program to Perth and Rockingham for the first time.

First up, we ran workshops in Herne Hill at the local Swan Settlers Market on the outskirts of Perth where 100 local business owners and entrepreneurs picked up new skills and tips on things like how to grow their presence online, be found by new customers, and gain insights into their customers’ needs. We also ran sessions for local job seekers, teachers and students.

Caption: Attendees from our afternoon Digital Springboard session taking a quick break from the content 

A big thank you to West Australian Senator Matt O'Sullivan who represented Federal Member for Pearce and Attorney-General Christian Porter in officially opening the event. And to local caterers Little Lamonts, Mr Cannolo, Perth Bells and Juice Station for providing the sustenance throughout the day and local baristas from The Black Moustache Coffee Co. who provided the caffeine hits! 

From there we headed down the highway to Rockingham (aka “Rocko”) for sessions with another 80 business owners - and were joined by local Federal Member for Brand and Shadow Minister for Trade Madeleine King MP.

Caption: Madeleine King MP talks to Rockingham locals about the importance of digital skills 
It was great hearing feedback from locals at both events that they picked up something new - even though they were all at different stages in the digital journey.

A report released by AlphaBeta in September found that Google’s advertising and productivity platforms were helping more than a million Aussie businesses and had helped deliver business benefits of $35 billion so far this year - including supporting 13,300 West Australian jobs through our economic activity.

As we wrap up 2019 and reflect on what we’ve done and where we’ve been, we’re so thrilled to have worked with so many wonderful communities across Australia to learn and share new digital skills that will help people grow their businesses, careers and lives.

And we passed an important milestone, too, with Google now having trained more than half a million Aussies through our travelling digital skills workshops and other STEM outreach and curriculum support we are providing through the education system.

But there’s still much to do! We can’t wait to get back out on the road in 2020 to visit even more communities in all corners of the country, so that we’re supporting future jobs, economic growth and prosperity in Australia.

While the events have wrapped up for 2019, you can still access tips and resources online at http://g.co/GrowAustralia

A big thank you to the communities, business chambers, government agencies, the Walkley Foundation and the Google team who helped make Grow with Google a great success this year. See you in 2020!

Posted by Rebecca Mason, Grow with Google program lead, Google Australia 

Caption: Another 'first!' - Perth saw us welcome our first furry, four-legged friend to one of our digital skills workshops.

YouTube Shines a Light on Next Generation of Superstars with global Artist on the Rise Program

Tones and I named first Australian YouTube Artist on the Rise