According to Google data, more than 50% of watch time for content produced by Vietnamese creators comes from viewers outside the country. Speaking to VietNamNet on the sidelines of YouTube Festival Vietnam 2026 on Sept. 16, Google Vietnam CEO Marc Woo said the figure points to the natural appeal of Vietnamese content.

But turning that advantage into a sustainable content export industry will require creators to invest in storytelling, diversify formats and proactively overcome language barriers. Well-produced videos about culture and heritage, meanwhile, can outlast the lifecycle of a trend and become valuable "digital assets" for years, he said.

Which types of Vietnamese content on YouTube are currently attracting the strongest interest overseas? What aspects of Vietnamese culture give the country a competitive advantage in the global market?

Marc Woo, CEO of Google Vietnam: Food videos are very popular in Vietnam, ranging from short clips introducing good bun bo Hue restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City to longer videos offering more in-depth experiences. Content about AI and the development of virtual assistants is also growing strongly. News and current affairs are expanding as well, as we work with news organizations and broadcasters to develop their channels.

Watch time for food, AI applications, and news and current affairs content has increased fourfold from a year earlier. Content about personal life, such as parenting, television dramas and the arts, has doubled.

Vietnam's biggest advantage is its rich and distinctive cultural heritage. Creators should make the most of local cultural material while flexibly applying AI technologies in production and post-production to create differentiated products capable of competing internationally.

More than 50% of watch time for content produced by Vietnamese creators comes from overseas audiences. What should creators do to turn this advantage into a sustainable content export industry?

Overseas audiences account for a very significant share of watch time for Vietnamese-produced content. The audiences of channels such as Ben Eagle, and many other creators, are not limited to Vietnam.

This shows that Vietnam's content creation ecosystem on YouTube is highly dynamic, original and high-quality. Storytelling that conveys pride in the country, along with relatable experiences centered on its people, is attracting international viewers. Creators are doing a very good job of bringing images of Vietnam to the world.

To turn this advantage into sustainable value, I believe there are three key points to consider.

First is a multi-format strategy. Creators should not depend on a single format. Shorts work well for users on the move; videos viewed on computers suit breaks or working hours; while long-form videos can be watched on TVs at home, where viewers have more time for deeper stories. Each format requires its own content strategy. Vietnamese creators are adapting very quickly: the number of Shorts uploaded has risen by more than 100% year on year, contributing to a network of more than 180,000 channels with over 10,000 subscribers.

Second is proactively overcoming language barriers. Creators can take advantage of AI-powered translation tools to reach international audiences instead of producing content only in Vietnamese.

Third is making full use of the platform's tools, including YouTube Shopping, which allows viewers to purchase products while watching content. In Vietnam, 82% of YouTube viewers say they are more likely to buy products recommended by a creator they trust, compared with 74% on platforms focused solely on short-form video.

Many creators are already promoting Vietnam to the world. Can they serve as digital cultural ambassadors, and how does YouTube support them?

They are already serving as digital cultural ambassadors. A large share of their views comes from international audiences, effectively turning their channels into a visual showcase for Vietnamese tourism and culture.

For example, What The Pho shares street-food experiences in English, targeting international travelers considering a visit to Vietnam. Ben Eagle promotes traditional martial arts through short videos that face fewer language barriers and reach more than 50 million subscribers worldwide.

YouTube supports creators through events in Vietnam, content strategy consulting and cooperation with government agencies. We have also worked with Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the "Vietnam: Di de yeu" campaign to celebrate a new generation of creators.

The platform also provides a multi-screen environment, where short videos can quickly reach audiences and then lead them to longer videos on smart TVs.

You mentioned cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. How can projects like these move beyond short-lived attention to become a vibrant cultural archive with lasting value?

That's a very good question. I would like to offer one figure: 40% of a YouTube video's total views occur more than a month after it is uploaded.

That means if I upload a video today, 40% of its views could come next month. It shows that content can have longevity. If it remains relevant over time, people will return to watch it again and again.

That is what we call the lasting, cumulative value of a YouTube video. It applies to every creator. If you and I upload a cinematic-quality video telling the story of a heritage site in detail, that video could continue attracting viewers for years.

I recently visited Son Doong and watched many videos about it. Some were uploaded many years ago. National Geographic's video about Son Doong has also been around for a long time.

These are precisely the kinds of digital assets with enduring value, or what we call "evergreen" content.

Once creators build a loyal fan community, audiences do not only watch new content. They also actively seek out videos published in the past.

Looking five years ahead, which aspects of Vietnamese culture do you expect to stand out most on YouTube that the world has yet to fully discover? How does YouTube see its role in that journey?

Vietnam has beautiful landscapes, distinctive cuisine and unique people. When these qualities are brought into the digital world through YouTube, they can have tremendous reach.

Recent success stories show that combining tradition and modernity can be highly effective, such as Hoa Minzy's song Bac Bling, which has attracted hundreds of millions of views, and the program Anh Trai Say Hi. These are not simply short-lived trends but signs of a continuous creative current with lasting vitality.

YouTube is a global platform and also an economic engine. In Vietnam, YouTube reaches 93% of internet users every day, built around three closely connected pillars: Culture, Connection and Commerce.

We will continue improving our technology, expanding YouTube Shopping and strengthening partnerships between brands and local creators to develop high-quality content, helping give Vietnamese culture a clearer identity on the global stage.

YouTube currently uses AI to generate captions and assist with subtitle translation, with steadily improving accuracy. The system can recognize and translate local dialects, idioms and culturally specific elements into a range of widely spoken languages.

With this technology, stories deeply rooted in local identity can reach global audiences through simple settings available to creators, reducing language barriers while preserving the spirit of the content.

Thank you for your time.

Du Lam