Strategy question
How would you develop the strategy for YouTube for the next 5 years?
- Strategy
- Hard
Practice this question out loud. An AI interviewer asks it, follows up like a real interviewer would, and scores your answer. Type or speak.
Start a mock interview on this question · Mock interview from a job description
What this question tests
Long-horizon platform strategy: can you sequence multi-year priorities for YouTube grounded in current competitive and format shifts (Shorts, streaming, creator economy).
How to approach it
- Assess the current landscape: short-form video competition (TikTok, Reels), the rise of connected-TV viewing, and creator monetization expectations all shaping YouTube's next moves.
- Year 1-2 priority: solidify Shorts as a durable habit and monetization channel for creators, since it's the newest format needing to reach parity with the core platform's economics.
- Year 2-3 priority: deepen connected-TV/living-room presence, since long-form watch time is shifting there and it's a strong ad-revenue surface.
- Year 3-5 priority: expand creator monetization diversity (subscriptions, commerce, live) to keep top creators from fragmenting to other platforms.
- Explain the sequencing logic: protect near-term competitive threats (Shorts) before scaling longer-horizon bets (living room, commerce).
- Define success per phase: Shorts creator payout parity, connected-TV watch-time share, and creator revenue diversification rate.
What a strong answer includes
- Grounds the roadmap in real, current competitive dynamics (TikTok/Shorts, CTV shift) rather than a generic 'grow everything' plan.
- Sequences defensive priorities (Shorts competitiveness) before offensive long-term bets (commerce, living room), a logical order.
- Centers creator economics throughout, correctly identifying that YouTube's moat is its creator ecosystem, not just viewers.
- Gives each phase a distinct, measurable goal instead of a vague list of initiatives.
Common mistakes
- Proposing a roadmap that ignores the real competitive pressure from TikTok/Reels on short-form video.
- Focusing only on viewer-side features and ignoring creator monetization, YouTube's actual competitive moat.
Likely follow-up questions
- How would you prioritize Shorts monetization against protecting long-form ad revenue?
- What would make you deprioritize the living-room bet if resources were constrained?
More strategy questions
- Google Keep is a free product to save, share notes etc. How would you make it a subscription product & monetize it?Google · Strategy · Hard
- With an unlimited network bandwidth what would you build?Google · Strategy · Hard
- Strategize and implement omni-channel initiatives to improve customer LTV for Walmart.Shopify · Strategy · Hard
- Should Google launch a TV service?Google · Strategy · Hard
- Your company has been able to digitize smell, how will you launch this new service?Google · Strategy · Hard
- What should Airbnb's strategy be during the COVID-19 pandemic?Google · Strategy · Hard
More questions from Google
Learn the skill behind it
Chapters of the AI PM course that teach what this question tests.
- Chapter 4: Discovery and strategy for AI products
- Chapter 9: Prove it paid off: outcomes, economics, and pricing
- Chapter 14: Get the job: the AI PM interview loop