YouTube isn’t just a place to watch cat videos or how-to tutorials anymore—it’s a powerhouse for brand growth, user engagement, and boosting sales.
With 2.49 billion people logging in each month, it’s the second-most popular social media platform. Creators are also seeing a big slice of the pie, taking home about 55% of the revenue from their channels.
These eye-popping stats reflect how people are flocking to YouTube for both entertainment and reliable information.
Today, we’ll dive into the latest YouTube statistics that showcase the platform’s vast influence and marketing clout, including key audience demographics, trending search terms, and more.
General YouTube Statistics
Before we dive into the details of YouTube stats, like user numbers, how people use the platform, revenue, ads, and more, let’s take a quick look at some of the most interesting data highlights.
1. With more than 106 billion visits each year, YouTube is the second most visited website in the world. The top spot goes to its parent company, Google.
2. In the U.S., YouTube is the most popular social media platform, outpacing Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and even TikTok.
3. India leads the way with the most YouTube users, totaling around 476 million. The U.S. is next, with about 238 million users.
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4. YouTube’s premium services are a major revenue booster—with 100 million subscribers across its Music and Premium plans.
5. Globally, YouTube ranks third among mobile video apps. TikTok is the clear leader with over 1 billion downloads, followed by Netflix with 182.8 million downloads. YouTube is just behind with 182.1 million.
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6. In the U.S., YouTube holds 8.6% of the streaming market, making it the top online streaming service. Netflix is close behind with 7.9%.
7. On average, creators earn between $1.61 and $29.30 for every 1,000 views.
8. According to Keywords Everywhere, YouTube.com attracts 1.7 billion organic visits each month and ranks for 187.26 keywords.
YouTube Usage Statistics
Knowing how often and how long people watch YouTube can help you decide on the length, amount, and style of your videos.
Below, we’ve put together some key YouTube stats that show how people use and enjoy the platform.
9. According to the Digital Global Overview Report, YouTube’s ads can reach up to 2.49 billion users. That’s about half of the 5.04 billion social media users worldwide—making YouTube the second most used social platform.
10. People are spending more time on YouTube in 2024, averaging 48.7 minutes daily. This increase in engagement makes YouTube a great place to connect with your target audience.
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11. Globally, users spend an average of 28 hours and 5 minutes on the YouTube mobile app. While this data is for Android users only, it highlights the growing popularity of YouTube on mobile devices.
12. A solid 87% of users watched at least four different YouTube formats (like Shorts and live streams) over the past year.
13. According to Google, people watch more than 1 billion hours of YouTube videos every day.
14. In 2023, YouTube Kids had its best year ever, with 131 million downloads, up from 103 million in 2022. Downloads for YouTube Kids have been increasing since it launched in 2016.
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15. When it comes to getting news on social media, Facebook is the top choice for U.S. adults at 30%—while YouTube is a close second at 26%.
YouTube Audience and Demographics Statistics
Checking out YouTube stats on audience and their demographics can help you see if the platform fits your target audience. This way, you’ll know if YouTube is a good spot for reaching the people you want.
16. YouTube is the top spot for U.S. adults, outshining Facebook and Instagram. A whopping 83% of U.S. adults are tuning in to YouTube.
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17. As for who’s using the platform more, men make up a slight majority—with 54.4% identifying as male and 45.6% as female.
18. Unlike TikTok, which is all about Gen Z, YouTube draws users from all ages. Most people using YouTube are between 18 and 49 years old, but there’s also a solid group of users aged 50-64.
19. In the U.S., YouTube’s audience is pretty diverse, with people from White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian backgrounds all using the platform.
20. Globally, the UAE is crushing it with 98.7% of people using the YouTube app. Israel is not far behind at 93%, and the Netherlands comes in at 91%.
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YouTube Growth Statistics
YouTube remains one of the most popular online platforms worldwide. This popularity offers big chances for individual creators and marketers to expand their audiences.
Here are some key YouTube growth stats that marketers should know:
21. By December 2022, more than 55,000 YouTube channels run by U.S. users had over 100,000 subscribers each, showing a 15% increase from the previous year.
22. Among global Android users, YouTube ranks third for the most-used app each day.
23. Google reports that YouTube Shorts are watched by more users each month than TikTok and Instagram Reels. Since 2022, the number of viewers for Shorts has grown by about 500 million.
24. On average, YouTube Shorts get more than 70 billion views each day.
25. Every minute, over 500 hours of new content are uploaded to YouTube.
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YouTube Advertising Statistics
If you’re thinking about running ads on YouTube, it’s important to check out how well ads perform on the platform. This means looking into things like ad revenue and the best types of ads. To get a clear picture, you’ll want to check out some key YouTube advertising stats.
26. In 2023, YouTube earned $31 billion from ads. This broke down to around $7 billion in the first quarter, $7.6 billion in the second, $8 billion in the third, and $9 billion in the fourth.
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27. YouTube ads made up 10.09% of Alphabet’s total revenue in the first nine months of 2023.
28. Creators in YouTube’s Partner Program get 55% of the ad revenue, while YouTube keeps 45%. How much creators earn can vary a lot based on factors like engagement.
29. YouTube found that using two or more video formats in ad campaigns results in better ad recall and brand awareness compared to using just one format.
30. Advertisers using AI-powered video reach campaigns on YouTube saw a 111% increase in sales compared to manually optimized campaigns.
33. According to Keywords Everywhere, high search volumes for YouTube ad-related terms suggest that many creators and marketers are exploring ways to advertise on YouTube.
31. Ad views on YouTube are over 57% higher than on other competing platforms under similar conditions.
32. About 52% of brands feel confident about advertising on YouTube—while 48% are still skeptical about the platform’s trustworthiness.
YouTube Videos and Marketing Statistics
You can gain valuable insights into YouTube marketing by observing how other marketers use the platform. Plus, the kinds of videos people enjoy watching on YouTube can offer clues on how to market effectively there.
Let’s dive into some important YouTube stats and marketing data to get a clearer picture.
33. Marketers are planning to use YouTube videos even more in their strategies. About 66% of them want to boost their YouTube video usage, and 59% aim to step up their organic efforts on the platform.
34. A survey by Red Crow Marketing Inc. shows that Americans are bombarded with nearly 4,000-10,000 ads each day, making YouTube a powerful tool for advertisers.
35. 67% of marketers believe that sharing social videos on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok gives the best return on investment (ROI) of any marketing strategy.
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36. According to Google’s Ads & Commerce Blog, 70% of people have purchased something after seeing it on YouTube.
37. YouTube ranks as the second most effective platform for B2C content marketing. The number of marketers using it for organic content increased from 55% to 67% between 2022 and 2023.
38. When it comes to live content, YouTube takes the top spot. In the U.S., 52% of social video viewers prefer YouTube for watching live content, beating Facebook and Instagram.
39. The most-watched YouTube video ever is “Baby Shark Dance.” Since its release in 2016, this viral sensation has racked up nearly 14 billion views as of January 2024.
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YouTube Business Statistics
Many small businesses and big companies like Apple are using YouTube as a key part of their content strategy. And it’s no surprise—YouTube is a powerful tool to reach your audience, offer valuable content, and boost sales.
Here are some key YouTube stats that highlight why growing your subscriber base and promoting your channel is so important.
40. 83% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with a YouTube channel say the platform helps them attract more customers and extend their reach.
41. 83% of businesses with a YouTube presence also found that it improved their local visibility.
42. 80% believe YouTube is a budget-friendly way to train employees and staff.
43. 78% of SMBs think YouTube is crucial for their business growth.
44. 67% of SMBs feel YouTube helps them increase their revenue.
45. YouTube remains a powerhouse for product advertising and brand awareness. Google reports that it’s the top platform for researching products and brands or making buying decisions.
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46. Viral YouTube content can hit 100 million views in less than a day, showing that virality is still a major force on social media.
47. According to HubSpot, 26% of social media users discovered new brands and products through YouTube ads.
48. 59% of respondents in a Latitude survey agreed that YouTube ads are more suitable than ads on traditional TV or other streaming apps.
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YouTube Shorts Statistics
YouTube Shorts have quickly become a user favorite because they offer quick, valuable content.
But does that mean longer videos are no longer effective? Not at all.
The best length for a YouTube video is about 12 minutes, though it can range from 7 to 15 minutes depending on your industry.
Here are some key stats about YouTube Shorts that you should know:
49. Video campaigns using product feeds on YouTube Shorts saw over a 70% increase in conversions compared to those without product feeds.
50. YouTube Shorts had 1.5 billion global monthly users in 2022, and that number surged to 2 billion by the end of July 2023—an impressive growth.
51. With the massive number of daily views, it’s no surprise that YouTube Shorts is the top platform for discovering new products and brands.
52. YouTube video stats reveal that for YouTube Shorts, accounts with 1,000 to 5,000 followers have the highest median view rate, around 4%.
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53. YouTube Shorts is becoming one of the platform’s most popular features, especially among younger Gen Z users. It currently gets around 50 billion views every day, according to YouTube data.
54. Google reports that campaigns using YouTube Shorts achieve 10-20% more conversions per dollar compared to those that only use traditional video formats.
55. Keywords Everywhere shows that the popularity of YouTube Shorts has remained steady over the past year, suggesting that Shorts are here to stay.
YouTube Influencer Statistics
Understanding who the top influencers on YouTube are can give you insight into which personalities have the most impact on the platform. This info can guide you in choosing the right influencers to work with and help you see what types of content are trending.
Let’s check out some YouTube stats about the platform’s top users.
56. The most popular YouTube channel is T-Series—with 257 million subscribers. T-Series has racked up over 249 billion views across more than 20,000 videos.
57. MrBeast comes in second with 228 million subscribers. His channel has earned over 44 billion views from just 780 videos.
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58. YouTube channels with 100,000 to 1 million subscribers have the highest engagement rate, averaging 3.47%.
59. Consumers say YouTube is the top platform for “authentic and useful” influencer content.
60. 33% of brands use YouTube for their influencer marketing campaigns.
Conclusion
YouTube might feel like a big, confusing world, but it’s actually a goldmine for growing your business and finding new leads.
Sure, making your channel stand out and building an audience takes some work, but knowing the right YouTube stats can really give you a leg up.
With so many videos being uploaded every day, the platform is bursting with chances to make an impact.
So, whether you’re running a business or creating content, dive into YouTube’s potential and watch your reach and revenue grow.