If you’re interested in ramping up your video marketing strategy in 2021, you’re probably doing some research into the best platforms to use. If you’re trying to figure out how YouTube fits into your approach, we have a list of 27 must-know YouTube statistics to help you understand how the platform is being used right now.
Let’s dig in.
1. YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users
YouTube is visited by nearly a quarter of the world’s population, boasting a resounding 2 billion monthly active users. It’s fair to assume that this means YouTube has a pretty diverse user base and your business can likely connect to your target audiences.
2. YouTube is the second most popular website in the world
According to Alexa’s top sites, YouTube generates the second most traffic of all websites in the world, second only to Google. (which also owns YouTube). This means that audiences are frequently referencing YouTube for everything from entertainment to how-to videos.
3. 16.5% of YouTube’s web traffic comes from the US
The United States accounts for the largest percentage of YouTube’s web traffic at 16.4%, followed by India with 9.3% and Japan with 4.9%.
4. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world
Not only is YouTube the second most popular website in the world behind Google, it’s also the second largest search engine in the world behind Google. This goes to show just how important YouTube SEO is, because yes, this video platform is absolutely a video and information search tool.
5. YouTube is used by 55% of marketers
According to Social Media Examiner’s 2020 industry report, YouTube is used by 55% of marketers, making it the most used video channel for video marketing. Establishing or maintaining a presence on YouTube can help marketers stay competitive with other brands and ensure they have a presence on the biggest platforms.
6. People watch over 1 billion hours of YouTube video content each day
Not only does YouTube have a large user base, but they also have a highly engaged one with over 1 billion hours of video content being viewed each and every day. With the right video content strategy and optimizations like YouTube descriptions, any type of brand can find an audience for their videos.
7. YouTube is available in over 100 countries and 80 languages
Another great statistic showcasing the wide range of users is that YouTube’s video platform is available in over 100 countries and is localized into 80 different languages. You can reach a wide variety of demographics and even publish video content in various languages to bolster an international marketing strategy.
8. Over 500 hours of video content is uploaded to YouTube every minute
Don’t get lost in the noise. Over 500 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute, so you need to do everything you can during the upload process to ensure your video content gets seen.
Plan a focus keyword, strategically craft your video title and description, and don’t forget about YouTube search optimization so your videos will rank higher in search.
You can even incorporate hashtags into your YouTube video content to signal what topics your video is related to.
9. 1 in 3 baby boomers go on YouTube to learn more about a product or service
YouTube’s audience isn’t only limited to younger generations. In fact, there’s a big percent of baby boomers who are on the video platform as well.
And out of that audience, around 33% of them utilize YouTube to learn more about a product or service. This a key opportunity to turn those views into conversions, so if this generation is a part of your audience, you definitely want to be sharing explainer videos and tutorials on your YouTube channel.
10. 68% of baby boomers watch YouTube videos for entertainment
While a third of boomers are interested in explainer videos, a two-thirds majority want to watch video content for entertainment. Creating a balance of product-centric video content and engaging video content is a must for a successful video strategy.
11. 72% of US men and US women use YouTube
An equal amount of both men and women in the US are active YouTube users, with of 72% internet users who identify as each gender reporting that they use the platform. This is another stat that backs up the fact that no matter who you’re targeting for your marketing, it’s highly likely they’re active on YouTube.
12. Views on videos targeted at “beginners” increased 50% in 2020
2020 was essentially a year of quarantine and social distancing, which led many people to search for new hobbies and ways to spend their time. This became especially clear when YouTube saw a 50% uptick in views on videos targeted at beginners and learning new things for the first time.
This means it’s the perfect time to start trying to reel new customers into your niche with video marketing content created for newbies to your product or service.
13. More than 70% of YouTube content is watched on mobile devices
Make sure you create your video content so it’s mobile friendly. Over 70% of YouTube videos are watched on mobile devices, so you need to be sure you don’t have any hard-to-read text on your videos so users with smaller screens can still get the full experience.
14. YouTube reaches more 18-34 year olds than any other TV network
Trying to decide where to put your video advertising spend? If you want to reach older Gen Zers and Millennials, YouTube is going to be your best bet as it reaches more 18-34 year olds than any other TV network. Plus, 77% of 15–35 year olds in the US have an active presence on the video app.
15. 89% of video marketers plan to include YouTube in their 2021 video marketing strategy
It’s important to keep up with what other marketers and brands in your industry are doing, and the statistics show that video will continue to be a major area of focus. Nearly 9 in 10 video marketers plan to incorporate YouTube into their 2021 video marketing strategy.
16. YouTube is the most widely used social platform among US adults
This stat goes to show how powerful video content and the communities built around it can be. Of US adults, YouTube is the most widely used social media platform with 73% holding an active presence on the app, higher than other ‘traditional’ social networks.
17. 62% of YouTube users access the site daily, 92% weekly
YouTube has a wildly active audience. More than half of all YouTube users access the app daily. More than 9 out of 10 users access the app each week. And nearly all of their users (98%) are watching video content at least once a month. With this kind of engagement and return viewership, you can find a loyal audience if you invest the time to create worthwhile video content.
18. 81% of parents with children aged 11 or younger let their kids watch YouTube
This is a great statistic for brands selling toys and products geared towards younger children. 81% of parents with children aged 11 or younger allows their kids to watch content on YouTube. This provides an incredibly unique opportunity for brands to create ads and marketing content that is kid- and family-focused.
Yet another sign of the presence kids have on YouTube is the fact that “Baby Shark Dance” is the most viewed video on the app, raking in over 7 billion views. It barely beat out “Despacito” and has nearly double the views of sensational song “Gangnam Style.”
19. 81% of users watch videos based on the platform’s recommended content
Around 4 out of 5 users watch video content at least occasionally based on what YouTube recommends in the sidebar. This means you should be optimizing your content and incorporating YouTube hashtags to ensure the platform knows what topics your videos are about and will be more likely to recommend it.
20. YouTube was the 4th most downloaded iPhone app in 2020
Behind Zoom, TikTok and Disney+, YouTube was the 4th most downloaded iPhone app in 2020. This just goes to show the video platform’s ongoing popularity, especially on mobile where it’s essentially always within reach of audiences.
21. Over 65% of users say YouTube content feels like real life
What this means is that viewers are connecting with YouTube content in a way that helps them feel like they’re living what they’re watching. After a year in a global pandemic, this is a necessary way to help people still feel connected to their passions, hobbies and normal life activities. This also ties in with the platform’s appeal to Gen Z consumers, who value authenticity in marketing.
22. There are more than 37 million YouTube channels
Over 37 million YouTube channels have been created. Out of those 37 million+ channels, 230,000 YouTube channels have more than 100,000 subscribers, 22,000 YouTube channels have more than 1 million subscribers and 700 YouTube channels have more than 10 million subscribers.
23. The most popular YouTube channel has 171 million subscribers
The most popular YouTube channel is called T-Series, and boasts over 171 million subscribers. The next most popular YouTube channels are YouTube Movies, Music, PewDiePie and Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes.
24. The highest paid YouTube channel is Ryan ToysReview
Raking in $29.5 million each year, child YouTube star Ryan Kaji from Ryan ToysReview runs the highest grossing channel. The second highest paid YouTube channel is Mr. Beast, bringing in $24 million.
25. YouTube generated over $5 billion in advertising revenue in Q3 2020
YouTube is a promising advertising platform for brands, generating over $5 billion in advertising revenue in the third quarter of 2020 alone.
Ramp up your YouTube marketing strategy
Use these YouTube facts and stats to help you ramp up your YouTube marketing strategy. It’s important to have a good grasp on your marketing platforms, including the backgrounds and usage patterns of the audiences on them so you know which tactics are right for your brand and your bottom line.
This post 25 YouTube stats and facts to power your 2021 marketing strategy originally appeared on Sprout Social.