Landmark New Report Shows Consumers' Viewing Habits are Shifting to YouTube and Connected TV

We’re witnessing a massive transformation in the way consumers watch video content. The proliferation of digital streaming platforms has completely upended the traditional linear TV model, transforming consumer viewing habits and how consumers watch their favorite content.

To understand this shift in how consumers are thinking about and watching digital video content, especially YouTube and Connected TV platforms, we conducted an online survey of consumers across the United States and United Kingdom. Our hope was to uncover how consumers across demographics and generations are watching streaming platforms — including how often they watch different platforms, what types of content they love, and consumer preferences around streaming video and cable — to help our brand and agency clients understand how they can best adapt to changing consumer behaviors and better connect with their audiences.

We’ve compiled our analysis in two new reports, breaking down consumer viewing habits on YouTube and Connected TV in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Here are some of the key findings from our reports on consumer digital video viewing:

• YouTube has the biggest reach of all streaming platforms in the U.S. and U.K., with 94% of U.K. consumers and 87% of U.S. consumers saying they watch the platform
• Only 25% of U.S. consumers think they’ll have a cable or satellite TV subscription within the next few years, compared to 33% of U.K consumers
• 50% of 18-44 year-olds in the U.S. who currently subscribe to cable or satellite TV plan to cancel their subscription this year
• In both the U.S. and U.K., 90% of the combined Gen Z and Millennial Audiences watch YouTube content on TV Screens
• People go to YouTube for lots of different kinds of content — the average consumer in the U.S. regularly watches video from 15 or more content categories

Download the report on U.S. Consumer Streaming Habits on YouTube here, and click here for our report focusing on the United Kingdom. If you’d like to get your hands on additional data from our survey, contact us to set up a meeting — we’d love to walk you through the full data, and how it impacts your video advertising strategy on YouTube and Connected TV platforms.