How YouTube Redefining TV As TV BEcomes The Primary Way People Consume YouTube content

YouTube

TV has officially surpassed mobile as the primary way people consume YouTube content in the U.S., based on watch time. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed this in a letter outlining the platform’s big bets for 2025, with TV being a key focus.

For over two years, YouTube has topped Nielsen’s The Gauge report as the leading TV streaming platform, surpassing competitors like Netflix. This success is driven by YouTube’s diverse content library, including creator content, podcasts, music videos, sports, TV shows and movies, and more. As a result, YouTube is redefining what television looks like today.

Viewers are now watching an average of 1 billion hours of YouTube content on their TVs daily. YouTube also leads the U.S. in podcast consumption, with viewers watching over 400 million hours of podcasts on TV devices.

YouTube’s Push for a TV-First Experience

YouTube has been accelerating its TV-focused shift with several updates. It has rolled out a sleeker interface that enhances the look and feel of content, making it resemble premium streaming services. Additionally, the launch of Primetime Channels and securing the NFL Sunday Ticket have been major steps forward.

But YouTube isn’t just focusing on traditional TV features. It’s leaning into interactivity, with new features like a second-screen experience, where viewers can watch a video on their TV while engaging with it on their phone—whether that's commenting or shopping. Additionally, the platform is testing a “Watch With” feature, where creators provide live commentary and reactions to NFL games, expanding this to other sports and events later this year.

Creators are getting more tools for the TV experience too, including insights into how their content performs on TV, such as the percentage compared to other devices and ad revenue generated from TV devices. There’s also the ability for creators to organize content into seasons and episodes.

Creators Deserve Credit for YouTube’s TV Dominance

While YouTube is making strategic moves, much of its success is thanks to creators. The YouTube creator ecosystem has grown significantly, with more creators producing content that rivals Hollywood in both production value and format. The fact that audiences are watching this content on the biggest screen in their home speaks volumes about its quality.

More Creators Are Entering Hollywood

This shift is happening as YouTube creators make their way into Hollywood. MrBeast shattered records with Beast Games on Amazon Prime, and Netflix recently signed a deal with Miss Rachel to bring her YouTube content to the platform. Kids programming YouTube channel pocket.watch has also recently expanded to streaming services like Hulu and Peacock. Creators are also making waves in live sports, reality TV, documentaries, and dramas across streaming platforms.

This trend is set to increase. Amazon is reportedly on the lookout for its next Beast Games, and Netflix sees social media platforms as a 'great breeding ground for storytellers' and has even been exploring bringing video podcasts to the platform.

For streamers, investing in creator content is a no-brainer. It’s what audiences want, and it’s often a more cost-effective way to expand programming. That’s why YouTube is poised to dominate TV even more.

The creators best suited for TV are often those who built their audience on YouTube first. Some will stick to producing content specifically for the platform and lean into distribution across TVs, while others will use YouTube as a launchpad for a more traditional Hollywood path. Either way, it’s a win for YouTube, which started out trying to be like traditional streaming services and is now what those services are trying to become.

We’ve seen cable disrupt traditional TV, cable get disrupted by traditional streaming services, and now we’re witnessing YouTube disrupt traditional streaming services.

What This Means for Influencer Marketing

YouTube’s rise in TV viewership presents massive opportunities for influencer marketing. As TV becomes a more common way for audiences to consume YouTube content, brands partnering with creators will benefit from additional reach, with campaign content potentially reaching audiences beyond mobile and desktop.

For those who do sit down on their couches or lay down to watch creator content on their TV screens, there's likely to be more connection with those creators. This means sponsorships and brand integrations will likely be received more positively. Plus, with both native YouTube TV features and second-screen viewing, viewers have a variety of ways to interact with that content. This has the potential to be powerful when it comes to shopping, especially with YouTube’s growing Shopping Affiliate program.

With YouTube also planning to introduce new ways for creators to partner with brands, there’s a lot for influencer marketers to be excited about.

In the meantime, for brands wanting to work with YouTube creators, it’s key to understand that TV is becoming a major discovery point. Brands should start asking creators for insights into what type of content their fans consume on TVs, considering the production value of that content, and looking for opportunities to partner with creators in formats that are TV-friendly, like series and episodic content.