YouTube layoffs impact ad team, Google CEO says to expect more

Photo Credit: Pawel Czerwinski

YouTube’s advertising business has been impacted by layoffs—becoming the latest round of tech layoffs announced in 2024.

The partnerships side of YouTube is undergoing a corporate restructuring, with massive changes coming to the creator management and operations teams. As a result of these changes, around 100 people will be laid off as their roles are eliminated at the company. Tubefilter reports that the strategy’s architect is Mary Ellen Coe, who now serves as YouTube’s Chief Business Officer following Robert Kyncl’s departure to head up Warner Music Group in early 2023.

Part of the restructuring includes bringing its content creator management teams under one roof. Previously, YouTube’s partner management teams were spread around the globe in specific countries to better serve local populations. A source speaking to Tubefilter says YouTube believes it will be able to support more creators “since the focus is now on scaling these core, country-specific teams.”

As part of the ongoing consolidation efforts, all music teams will become one global force reporting to YouTube’s Head of Music, Lyor Cohen. The YouTube support team is also being split in twain, with one half serving as a customer support team, while the other will serve YouTube creators. The idea is to get YouTube creators quicker access to customized support.

According to an internal memo issued by Mary Ellen Coe, the 100 impacted people will have a chance to apply for consideration in other roles at YouTube. It’s unclear if they are guaranteed those positions, however. Google has shed over 1,000 jobs across its various departments in the last six months, while CEO Sundar Pichai has said the company is not done with layoffs yet.

“We have ambitious goals andn will be investing in our big priorities this year,” Pichai said in an internal memo obtained by The Verge. “The reality is that to create the capacity for this investment, we have to make tough choices. These role eliminations are not at the scale of last year’s reductions, and will not touch every team.”