YouTube has solidified its position as the leading streaming service in America. According to Nielsen, the global powerhouse in audience measurement, YouTube has held the #1 spot in watch time for a full year. This translates to 12 months of users regularly turning to the platform for content from YouTubers, artists, and other media sources.YouTube shared the news today on its blog, and attributes this honor to the platform’s unique strengths that keep viewers continuously engaged and returning. Now that traditional boundaries between professional and user-generated content are blurring, audiences are more driven than ever to the platform. In a recent letter to the community, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan stated: “When I started at YouTube, people thought about content from major studios and content from creators as entirely different. But today that stark divide is gone.”
Furthermore, YouTube also gave credit to the power of its creators and immersive experiences. It recognized that viewers appreciate the authenticity and connection they experience with the broad and diverse spectrum of creators currently on the platform. The definition and perception of what a content creator represents is always evolving, and right now the fact that the creators on the platform are not exactly as polished as Hollywood celebrities, but rather have that personal and real quality, is what resonates with the audiences.
YouTube’s rise in television viewership also signals a shift in viewing habits. According to Nielsen, the platform boasts a remarkable average of over 1 billion hours of daily TV content consumption. The number of creators receiving the bulk of their views on TVs has also seen a dramatic 400% increase, and the popularity of YouTube Shorts on connected TVs has surged by over 100% between January and September 2023.
YouTube’s recent updates to its content experience on mobile, desktop, and the living room, show a commitment by the platform to remain in the number one spot. It remains to be seen if YouTube will continue to hang on to the crown and if more changes are on the way to make this a longer reign.
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