Another 50 YouTube Statistics Article? Yes, but this is the best.
Having been around since 2005, YouTube is a long-running video-based platform that has continued to grow in popularity since its launch. As the originator of the high-profile social media influencer and with over 2 million content creators in the platforms creator plan, YouTube has strong eCommerce functionalities and thriving paid services, as well as retaining the originally launched free viewing.
At Creative Marketing (NW) Ltd, we believe that video content is an essential part of your content strategies. Videos resonate with consumers and enhance your ability to story-tell in a way that converts consumers to paying customers.
Boasting plenty of opportunities for brands and individual users alike, we have pulled together our top statistics from the world of YouTube to give you further insight into this social media giant’s power within the world of digital media.
YouTube Company Statistics
1. YouTube was founded by 3 technology moguls in 2005.
Char Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Kasim wanted people to be able to upload and share video content on a worldwide scale to answer the growing engagement rates within the internet-based activity. Having experienced being able to easily upload images and videos onto the internet, the site was created as a user-friendly and focused platform.
2. YouTube employs over 2800 members of staff.
The team are based across sites in San Bruno, Los Angeles, and London.
3. Google purchased YouTube for $1.65 billion.
Having understood the market power that YouTube would be likely to possess in the future, Google acquired the company back in 2006 shortly after its launch. Google has since integrated YouTube as an essential SEO and keyword-supporting tool to strengthen its position as the world’s main search engine.
4. In 2021, YouTube generated revenue of $28.8 billion.
This was a 46% increase year-on-year and was credited due to a mix of advertising spend and premium memberships. This also marks an impressive growth since 2015 and represents the importance that consumers place on video content.
YouTube Revenue Statistic
Source: https://www.businessofapps.com/data/youtube-statistics/
5. YouTube is the second most used social platform and search result on Google.
With 2.2 billion monthly users, the platform sits just behind Facebook as the most visited site. You will often find YouTube content linked as the video player of choice on various websites and within other social media platforms highlighting its backlinking and embedding popularity. These circumstances of YouTube being seen on various other platforms have contributed to its loyal followers.
YouTube V Social Platforms
Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media/biggest-social-media-sites/#close
6. YouTube’s revenue contributed 2% to Googles overall revenue in 2021.
Having increased from 7.3% in 2017 and has achieved a positive growth year-on-year, we believe this figure will continue to rise annually. The only competitor that we believe could affect YouTube’s advertising capabilities is TikTok which is fast becoming the go-to video social platform.
YouTube Growth
Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media/biggest-social-media-sites/#close
YouTube Usage Statistics
7. Over 2.5 billion people access YouTube at least once a month.
This equates to more than a quarter of the world’s population choosing to use YouTube in one way or another. The number has also increased by 1.3 billion users since 2015.
8. YouTube premium had 50 million subscribers as of 2021.
The service allows users to miss out on advertising and exclusive access features, including background play, downloads, and YouTube music. The service costs £11.99 per month and offers a cancel-anytime policy which aligns with the norm consumers expect from subscription and streaming services.
9. There are over 35 billion individual sessions on the site each month.
With the option to download the app or access it directly from the Google home page, YouTube is designed to encourage repeat visitors and be the main source of information for users.
10. As of 2022, YouTube has been used to upload over 800 million videos.
This is supported by the 37 million channels on the platform. As a website with such a substantial SEO reach, it is no surprise that companies want to be represented here to be seen as current.
The YouTube functionality also allows users to segment videos by playlists or topics with hashtags meaning that the search capabilities can reach the content of any age as long as the meta text is relevant.
11. YouTube is available in 50 languages in over 100 countries.
The core brand value reads, “Our mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world”. This global approach to their brand ethos is brought to life by the various language features and nods to internationally reaching trends promoted on the site.
12. Music has the highest index search rate on the site.
The terms song, songs, and music all make up the top spots with other popular search terms, including Minecraft, Tik-Tok and ASMR. The addition of YouTube music, which launched in 2014, has seen YouTube competing with the likes of Spotify and Amazon Music in the world of song streaming.
Top Searches on YouTube
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1306637/uk-top-searches-youtube/
13. In the APAC region, 5 trillion views of YouTube shorts have been played.
YouTube shorts offer the same type of video viewing that competitors Instagram and Facebook offer, with the option for content creators to share clips with their entire audience more exclusively. At Creative Marketing, we think this form of content is more attainable to busy users, so it’s great that the platform now offers balance.
14. YouTube attracts 1.7 billion unique monthly users.
With an extensive library of how-to guides and reviews, YouTube offers easy-to-find information that helps consumers in their everyday life. This high number of unique visitors means that even those who do not have accounts are using the site and its content.
15. Over 5 million people are subscribed to YouTube TV.
Offering users the option to benefit from live streaming for hundreds of channels, YouTube TV is available across the UK and can be accessed without any cables or engineering setups.
16. The immense user popularity of YouTube makes it the second most popular website in the world.
Sitting just behind is parent company Google; YouTube attracts global audiences with its diverse content and easy-to-access information. The addition of user-generated content from trusted influencers and brand promotional activities means there is quite literally something for every audience.
17. The most popular YouTube video has over 10 billion
Providing that viral content thrives on the platform, the most viewed content is the “Baby Shark Dance”, which gained notable popularity in 2017. Interestingly as well, all top ten videos are music content which correlates with the top search terms that we already mentioned.
Furthermore, the type of content here is essentially family-focused which shows that younger audiences are being exposed to the platform from an early age which is like to enhance their loyalty as they grow older and use YouTube for themselves
Most Popular YouTube Videos
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/249396/top-youtube-videos-views/
18. The fastest ever viral video generated 400 million views in just 24 hours.
The iQIYI – Double World feature also highlights the link between the gaming industry and the platform, with many popular channels consisting of live-action gameplay and reviews.
Most Viral YouTube Videos in 24 Hours
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/478082/fastest-viral-videos-views-in-24-hours/
19. YouTube is a part of daily routines for 51% of users.
The option to subscribe to channels means that personalised content is delivered straight to users’ subscription boxes, with the possibility also being included to set up alerts for new releases. The release of short-form content has undoubtedly enhanced the usability for those who check in on the platform during downtime on a daily basis.
YouTube Demographic Statistics
20. India has the highest audience size with 16% of its population using YouTube.
This is closely followed by the USA, Indonesia, and Brazil which all have a high percentage of users compared to their overall population.
YouTube Users by Country
Source: https://backlinko.com/youtube-users#most-youtube-users-by-country
21. 44% of users are aged between 25-44.
The second biggest category is those aged between 18-24 who sits at 24%. This popularity with younger generations seems to come from large influencers and popular brands within the platform.
22. The USA has the highest number of views at 916 billion to date.
This is from a mix of both organic and paid links and reflective of the vast audience that the USA brings to the platform. The number of views has also increased by 18 million since 2018 with growth experienced every year.
23. 77% of American adults said they used YouTube in 2021.
Not only does this sit at the highest versus other social media platforms, but there has also been a consistent positive increase in numbers since 2013 which not all sites have experienced.
Percentage of Americans Using Social Media Platforms
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/478082/fastest-viral-videos-views-in-24-hours/
24. 1 in 2 Gen Z millennials say that they could not live without YouTube.
The platform is tailored to be interacted with on a daily basis, signalling the importance of YouTube’s reputation in social media activity for younger followers. Stating that they “don’t know how they would get through life without video”, the importance of different forms of marketing assets is also represented here.
We think that video content is essential and should be tailored to a specific audience for maximum engagement. Younger viewers are more likely to want to be subjected to apparent ads, whereas older audiences are likely to appreciate a more subtle approach. YouTube videos can therefore be aligned to suit what the intended audience will want to interact with.
25. 78% of baby boomers use YouTube as a way to learn something new.
The power of video means that even the most complex of messaging can be made simple, and that is something that users of all ages appreciate with YouTube. Whether you need to learn how to change a tyre or code a website, it is a brilliant knowledge hub with endless content.
YouTube Marketing and Business Statistics
26. YouTube has the largest market penetration success rate at 62%.
Closely followed by Facebook with 61%, they are 10% more successful than WhatsApp, which sits in the third position. This representation of usage rate and time spent on the site indicates that it is still a popular platform for marketing activity to take place on.
Social Media Market Penetration Statistics
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/274773/global-penetration-of-selected-social-media-sites/
27. Ad revenue in 2021 was $28.8 billion.
The advertising programme, which consists of creator-sponsored videos, pays out based on the number of views a video generates. The AdSense auction allows creators to turn on the option of monetizing their content once they have a specific follower base.
With the average click value sitting at $0.026 and a view rate of 31.9%, YouTube offers one of the best ad return on investment values compared to other social media platforms.
28. As of Q1 2022, advertising revenues globally reached $6.869 million.
This also peaked in Q4 of 2021, hitting $8.633. Showcasing a positive increase through the years and a 14% year-on-year rise between 2021 and 2022, YouTube is a must-have platform for any marketing campaign.
29. 22% of Marketers have found success using YouTube stories.
Stories offer a selection of short videos, usually no longer than three minutes, which can be viewed at the top of subscription boxes or via the app in a style that emulates that of Instagram stories.
30. Only 14% of marketing campaigns use YouTube live.
This is much lower than Facebook, which has 30% of users streaming content. We think this is because YouTube can be slightly more complex to live with social feeds, but the constant advances on the site mean this will likely be easier to integrate going forwards.
For events and marketing launches, live streaming on YouTube is an excellent way to expose your channel to a global audience.
31. Brand searches accounted for 52% of all keyword terms.
Using hashtags and searchable descriptions means that any brand-created or user-generated content linked to the company will show up within the results. The user journey is also further enhanced through the ‘next video’ feature, which suggests related content based on the previous video that has been watched.
YouTube Revenue Statistics
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/289657/youtube-global-quarterly-advertising-revenues/
32. 70% of people have purchased a product that they have seen on YouTube.
This is higher than Instagram (54%), Tik-Tok (46%), and Twitter (52%) which showcases the pull that YouTube has on buying power even though it is an older platform.
The website also has various guidelines for ad highlighting which endears itself to users as it is made obvious if a product or service is being promoted.
This ensures a simple click-through user journey that makes the most out of impulsive shoppers.
33. YouTube’s best-performing Ad in 2021 amassed over 105 million views.
The Hyundai and BTS brand collaboration was a big success due to the high social media following that the K-Pop band have amassed over the past few years.
Hyundai x BTS YouTube Video
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZR1D6p7bOg&t=10s
34. Apple are the biggest spender on Ads in the USA.
The tech giant spent an eye-watering $237.15 million between March 2020 and February 2021. They also took part in various influencer collaborations and became known as one of the key brands that content creators wanted to work with.
YouTube’s Biggest Ad Spenders
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1112288/us-youtube-advertisers-ranked-by-ad-spend/
35. YouTube ads offered a 32% increase in ad recall and a 100% rise in purchase intent during 2021.
Relevant when served with intent, this showcases that advertising in the form of video sponsorship or brand collaborations, is a brilliant way to convert consumers into paying customers.
36. 55% of marketers use YouTube in their digital strategies.
Not only does this indicate a need for social media strategy, but also creative teams that can produce the professional level of video that YouTube users have become used to seeing.
We think this form of content offers many diverse uses for brands and can be used across various different social media and web outlets offering a measurable return on investment.
37. 87% of viewers want to see branded content.
This reflects consumers’ expectations for brands to deliver video content as part of their marketing campaigns. Viewers like the element of being able to almost ‘try before you buy’ in a digital sense and have become very trusting of the messaging that influencers share with them.
38. The optimal video length is 10 minutes
YouTube also allows videos to be timestamped, encouraging users to interact with the desired call to action throughout the content. With videos being 10 minutes in length, users can either watch the entire content or just interact with what they are interested in seeing.
39. Videos are 50x more likely to rank in Google results than text.
Videos do contribute to SEO with descriptions, titles, meta-descriptions, and transcriptions all adding to the searchability of a piece of content.
40. User time on a website is increased by 2 mins through the use of video marketing.
Whilst users can interact with content, read others’ reviews, and learn more about the brand in question, the time they spend taking in additional information is increased when they interact with video content.
41. YouTube Ads have the power to reach 51% of all internet users.
Whilst this is the total reach, they can be filtered and bid on my elements such as demographics, locations, and interests to ensure that all bidding is targeted at the intended audience.
This vast scope though also highlights the power of reach that organic content produced by creators has in reaching audiences.
42. 59% of Executives prefer watching videos to spending time reading text.
Similarly, to how infographics help get data across quicker, videos are a brilliant way of transferring knowledge in a short space of time.
For busy executives, videos will likely stand out and not get lost in piles of paperwork and never-ending emails.
43. Home office video search volumes increased by 210% in 2020.
As a direct result of the pandemic, business personnel also use the platform as a source of knowledge. Whether they were looking for a way to work more comfortably or trying to find experiences of like-minded people who were also starting to work remotely, this shows a need for relatable content.
YouTube Influencer Statistics
44. A new fund has been announced to support YouTube shorts to the tune of $100 million.
Designed to promote the use of this Instagram-competing feature throughout the YouTube community of creators, the fund should bring more attention to this useful feature.
45. The most viewed channel worldwide as of March 2022 had 3.52 billion views.
T-Series took the top spot with POPS Kids (3.43 billion), Cocomelon (2.92 billion), and Like Nastya (2.66 billion) all closely following. Targeted at children, this shows that the platform is used as an educational and leisure tool by parents.
46. Beauty creators still dominate the influencer industry, with the top channel boasting over 16.2 million subscribers.
Videos within this category consist of tutorials, reviews, and behind-the-scenes looks at how big brands create products.
YouTube has also been a platform for many influencers to launch their own brands, with the likes of Jeffree Star and Nikki Tutorials having gone on to create thriving products as a result of their channels.
Top Beauty Channels on YouTube
47. Finding someone with value is 2 x more important than production quality for Gen Z users.
Whilst YouTube has an editorial standard that has developed vastly over the past few years, the desire for users to find an influencer who resonates with them is fundamental.
Building a sincere connection is one of the best ways for brands to break into new audiences and markets, and we believe it is essential now not just within B2C communities but also B2B ones.
48. Thanks to influencer content, 1/3 of users go straight to YouTube for tutorials, advice, and recommendations.
Just like asking a friend or colleague about a new product, YouTube offers users the chance to ‘first-hand’ from their respected peers what their opinion is.
49. Ed Sheeran has the most popular UK channel with 52.1 million subscribers.
Music channels are big business for artists, with traditional TV channels no longer being the place where videos are exclusively released.
50. JefreeStar is the richest YouTuber in the world, with a fortune of over $200 million.
As we have mentioned, popularity has been a big selling point for this channel on YouTube. Still, the network of JefreeStar just further anchors the exposure that influencers can get from being on the platform.
You’ve learnt about YouTube statistics. Now check out the statistic of other social media platforms.
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How your business can benefit from YouTube Ads
Hopefully these 50 YouTube statistics have got you thinking about how you can benefit from this gigantic source of traffic.
With influencers being a viable career path in 2022, finding ambassadors that stand for your brand values is essential. But even without expensive influencer sponsorships, you can still take advantage of YouTube the normal way through paid ads.
Need help standing out on YouTube? We can help run professional Google Ad Video campaigns for your ads on YouTube.
YouTube is a complex platform with ever-changing features and offers a vast audience to reach. Understanding where your brand could sit is an overwhelming task, but we are on hand to help.
To find out about our YouTube services and benefit from a free consultation, get in touch.
