Going viral on a platform like Youtube is the dream of every brand. Imagine your video getting millions of views– the potential sales and consistent revenue it could generate for your business would be absolutely phenomenal. Not to mention the hundreds of different ways in which it could affect your brand image in a positive way.
Take Chipotle, for example. Could you imagine a fast food brand emotionally connecting with their audience? Well, Chipotle did, thanks to their viral award-winning animated film “A Future Begins.”
With just one viral and somewhat iconic video, the brand successfully attracted and emotionally connected with 11M viewers on Youtube alone, leaving an impression that would go a long way in benefitting the brand’s image.
While there’s not a specific formula for getting viral, you can increase your chances of getting maximum reach by tailoring your content according to your audience’s needs and preferences. And this can only be achieved if you have a reasonable amount of data in your hands.
Today, we will share some of the most important and interesting Youtube video statistics you could use as a marketer and content creator to make tailored content to drive maximum engagement, sales, and ROI.
So without any ado, let’s jump straight in!
Key Stats Overview
- 5 billion videos are watched each day on Youtube.
- 63% of videos are watched through mobile devices; the percentage could rise to 70%.
- Youtube shorts get 70 billion daily views, and the largest number of viewers is aged between 25 and 34.
- 12 thousand hours of content is uploaded each day on Youtube.
- Youtube videos have an engagement rate of 1.9%.
- The best video length on Youtube is 1–5 minutes.
- 10% of the total watch time on Youtube is credited to the live stream.
- The most popular Youtube video category is still music.
- 62% of businesses post video content on Youtube.
- Average CTR of a Youtube video is 2-10%.
Top 20 Youtube Video Statistics & Trends with Graphs (Nov 2024)
5 Billion Youtube Videos are Watched Each Day
Youtube generates about 1 billion hours of viewership each day, with 5 billion videos being watched within 24 hours.
Moreover, there are over 3.9 billion videos existing on Youtube currently, as per the stats, with the average length sitting somewhere around the sweet spot of 11.7 minutes. To put short, YouTube is the most popular video platform in the world. (1)(2)
63% of Videos are Watched Through Mobile Devices
Although YouTube content was primarily consumed through desktop and laptop devices in the early days, the scenario has evolved greatly with the advancement in mobile devices and the advent of smart TVs. Currently, the YouTube mobile app has over 10 billion downloads on the Google Play Store. (3)
Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to know that around 63% of all views on Youtube come from mobile devices alone (4), with other devices like TVs, desktops, tablets, and consoles contributing 14%, 12%, 8%, and 3%, respectively. By the end of 2024 and the release of new stats, the number is projected to even rise to 70%. (5)
Youtube Shorts Receive Over 70 Billion Daily Views
Ever since its launch in 2020, Youtube shorts have exploded over the years, signifying the increasing popularity of short-form content across all video platforms. To give you some context, Youtube shorts received only 3.5 billion daily views in their launch year, 2020. This number steadily increased to 30 billion in 2021, 40 billion in 2022, and a whopping 70 billion in 2023, at an annual growth rate of 135%.(6)
The largest viewer demographic for Youtube shorts sits between the age group of 25 and 34, with over 70% of shorts being more than 15 seconds long. The most watched shorts are generally from the entertainment category, constituting about 17% of the total shorts views. (7) Other popular niches that get the most views include food and drink, video games, sports, and crafting. (8)
12,000 Hours of Content is Uploaded on Youtube Every Day
According to the most recent video statistics released by YouTube, around 500 hours of content are uploaded on the platform every minute. Which means around 12,000 hours worth of YouTube content are uploaded every single day. This indicates the high amount of engagement that Youtube creators have with their audience. (9)
And as Youtube attracts more and more audiences over time, the amount of content uploaded on the platform is only going to increase, and so will the number of creators. If you’re thinking about becoming a content creator, now is the time!
Youtube has The Best Engagement Rate for Long-Form Videos
While Instagram and TikTok still dominate the short-form video content when it comes to engagement rate, nothing comes close to Youtube when it comes to long-form videos (10).
As of 2024, Youtube videos have an average engagement rate of 1.9%, which is more than any other major platforms like Facebook and Twitter, which have an average engagement rate of 0.15% and 0.08%, respectively. (11)
The Best Video Length is 1-5 Minutes
Although this is different from genre to genre, with some videos retaining engagement even after the 50-minute mark, the best video length as per general stats is 1–5 minutes. After the 5 minutes mark, the exponential decay kicks in, and the video starts losing audience incrementally.
As a result, videos that cross the 30-minute mark have the lowest engagement, especially those related to marketing, like promotional videos. (12)
Live Streaming is Getting Popular on Youtube
Compared to 2019 and 2010, live streaming viewership has grown by 128% in 2024, with a collective watch time of over 8.5 billion hours in the second quarter of 2024 across the internet. This trend is taking over on Youtube as well, with at least 10% of the total watch time on the platform being credited to live streaming alone (13). Currently, in terms of views, Youtube comes only second to Twitch, with over 1.94 billion hours spent in the Q3 of 2024 in the gaming niche alone, capturing over 23% of the total market.
Most Popular Video Category in 2024
It’s 2024, and the most popular Youtube category is still none other than music. The most popular Youtube video is still ‘Baby Shark’, with almost 14 billion views, followed by ‘Despacito,’ ‘Johnny Johnny Yes Papa,’ ‘Cocomelon,’ and ‘Shape of You,’ all having 8.5 billion, 6.86 billion, 6.58 billion, and 6.18 billion views, respectively. (14)
However, this shouldn’t put your hopes down since music videos specifically get these views due to their replayability. There are also other video types that attract hundreds of millions of viewers on a daily basis, which also include educational and entertainment content. So if you’re a marketer, there’s a lot for you to use to your advantage.
Youtube Video Viewers by Country
There’s no denying that YouTube is a global phenomenon, with users scattered over 100 countries worldwide. But which country has the most audience? Well, according to the most recent stats, India is leading, with over 462 million Youtube viewers out of the 2.49 billion. That makes Indian users about 38.4% of the total. The second in the list is the US, with over 239 million viewers, and the list continues. (15)
The Average CTR for a Youtube Video is 2-10%
In terms of video click-through rate, Youtube comes only second to Facebook, the largest social media platform in the world. However, this clickthrough rate can vary based on the video category, the size of your channel, and whether your channel is new or not (16).
Depending on all these factors, your CTR Youtube should sit somewhere between 2-10%—that’s the sweet spot. For marketers running video ads on Youtube, the ideal CTR should be somewhere around the average benchmark of 5% to remain highly successful. (17)
70% of the Youtube Watchtime Comes From an Advanced Algorithm
Youtube houses millions and billions of videos. To keep the audience on the platform, Youtube ensures that each and every user gets video suggestions that are most relevant to them with advanced algorithms based on their search and watch history, ensuring everyone finds what they need.
You can leverage these algorithms to your advantage by following a bunch of strategies. Optimizing your videos to increase your watchtime, updating your metadata using SEO-friendly practices, and keeping your eyes on changing trends are just a few tips you can follow to increase your chances of being suggested in Youtube suggestions by the algorithms. (18)
Over 500 Million Educational Videos are Watched Every Day on Youtube
Unlike many platforms, users don’t just use Youtube to entertain themselves. In fact, YouTube has always been an excellent educational platform—perhaps one of the biggest in the current times. Due to free access and a lot of useful content in the form of tutorials, documentaries, and academic lectures from some leading names, over half a billion educational videos are watched every single day.(19)
In the past few years, Youtube has grown to be one of the greatest educational resources and an imperative part of the overall educational system, attracting people from all around the world to help them with their studies and skill-learning. According to the most recent statistics, at least 46% of male and female internet users aged between 16 and 24 years watched online how-to and tutorial videos in 2024. (20)
What does that mean for you?
Well, by making educational content, not only can you increase your engagement, but also develop trust among your audience. This helps you connect at a personal level with your audience as a brand, making it easier for you to generate valuable conversions.
59% of Adults in The USA Use Youtube for Health-Related Videos
Well, we already discussed how Youtube has grown to be one of the biggest educational platforms in the world. But do you know many people also use Youtube for health awareness, especially illnesses and injury-related videos? With hundreds of authentic medical educators on Youtube, the platform has gained traction as one of the most trusted places to explore information about exercises for specific injuries, as well as experiences with different diseases.
What’s more shocking is that 84.7% of these viewers make their decisions based on the provided information, especially in the exercise and bodybuilding niche. While these stats might not be directly useful for you as a marketer, they tell you about the amount of trust people put in the platform and how you can leverage it if you provide actionable, useful, and sincere content. (21)
The Most Common Age Group for Youtube Viewers is 25-34
One of the best things about Youtube is that it has an audience from all age groups. Children, adults, seniors, YouTube has something for everyone to captivate their interest. That is quite evident from the diverse demographics that’s present on Youtube.
According to the latest data released in 2024, among the viewers present on Youtube, 15% are aged between 18-24, 21.5% are aged between 25-34, 17.9% are aged between 35-44, 12.9% are aged between 45-54, and the rest are aged between 55-64 and 65+. Of the total viewers, about 54.4% are males, and 45.6% are female. (22)
By making videos tailored for each demographic, you can reach a wider and more diverse audience, increasing your reach as well as your overall brand awareness. Youtube is one of the most powerful advertising platforms for your business that can do wonders if used properly.
Youtube Generates Over $30 Billion in Ad Revenue
Just like any other social media platform, Youtube is becoming increasingly important for both small and big businesses, and they are spending more and more on Youtube ads each year.
Just in 2023, Youtube made over $30 billion in ad revenue– 8% more than $29.2 billion in the preceding year. With satisfactory ROI and rapidly increasing audience, the video giant has grown, and is still growing to become one of the most lucrative advertising platforms for marketers. (23)
The Future of Video in Marketing: Trends to Expect in 2025
Video Spending Trends (With US market in focus)
According to recent video statistics, about 86% of marketers prefer video for their advertising due to its reach and engagement. And as we move forward, this percentage is only going to increase due to the growing popularity and preference for visual content among the audience. That’s one of the reasons we have seen a consistent and substantial growth in the annual digital video ad spend over the years.
Take the US market alone as an example. In 2022, the total ad spend in the US stood at $47.2 billion. In 2023 it increased to $54 billion, and in 2024, it is estimated to cap at least $62 billion by the end of the year, with an average annual growth of 17%.
If we assume the same growth rate for the coming years, the annual digital ad spend could be as high as $70 billion in the US market alone. Currently, digital is one of the fastest-growing advertising mediums, and it is expected to grow 80% more than any other media overall. (24)
Demand for Short-Form Content
The demand for short form content is increasing every single day, and so is its importance in marketing. Different demographics use different platforms to consume short-form content, with the majority of the Gen Z using Tiktok, while baby boomers, gen x, and millennials mostly using Youtube.
You’ll be glad to know that short form content is also greatly influencing impulse buying, with audiences in the US spending $34 on average per impulse buy across all platforms, including $30 on Youtube. (25)
From a marketer’s perspective this is great news!
This not only signifies the growing demand for short form video content in individuals across every age group, but its role in driving quick, decisive, and increased purchasing actions across diverse product categories.
If you’re a marketer, it’s the perfect time for you to jump into this growing trend. Short form content is cost-effective, engaging, and compelling, with a huge demand that’s only going to skyrocket in the coming years due to shrinking attention span and changing watching habits of the audience.
Influence on Consumer Purchase
Around 82% of people stated that watching a video greatly influences their decision to make a purchase. 95% of viewers retain a message better when it’s conveyed through video format, and over 72% of people prefer video to understand a service or product.
It gives videos an edge over any other medium when it comes to effectively communicating value prepositions and functionality of a product, ensuring your potential customers exactly know what you do and why they should choose your product.
As video quality and budget improve over time, the influence of videos on consumer purchases is only going to increase. If we assume a conservative increase of 2% in the number of people influenced by video per year, this percentage is projected to stand at 90% by 2030.
Video Advertising and Marketing Worldwide
As the online video audience is growing, so is the number of businesses embracing video as an effective marketing tool. Just in the previous year, the digital video ad spend worldwide stood at around $176.63 billion, with US (as previously mentioned), UK, and China topping the list. As 2024 comes to its end and new stats are released, this number of overall digital ad spend, and video ad spend specifically, is predicted to go even higher.
What’s driving this substantial investment in the medium is its consistency in demand, which is attracting more and more marketers to invest heavily. Just to give you an idea, the percentage of people who wanted videos from brands remained 85% in 2018, 87% in 2019, and 86%, 85%, 88%, 91%, and 89% in the following years up until 2024. (26)
If we look closely, the average annual growth in video demand is somewhere around 0.8% according to the aforementioned data. Assuming that the growth will remain sustained in the coming years, this demand could increase from 89% to 90% in 2025. This would translate into increased total video ad spend over the coming years as more businesses would like to utilize this lucrative opportunity to improve their reach.
Platform Utilization and Social Media Engagement
Video content has the best ROI among all forms of content, according to 41% of marketers (27), while 55% of marketers state that video marketing has an average ROI (28). However, this data is based on previous research. Post-pandemic, the demand for video content has increased significantly, and the production quality has improved drastically.
While there’s no consistent data to support how the ROI of social media videos will fare in the future, the incremental and increasing demand of videos by the audience means more and more people will be watching videos. So even if the aforementioned ROI rate remains consistent, you’re likely to get more audience, which could ultimately translate into more conversions anyway.
Digesting The Data
We’re about to enter 2025, and Youtube still continues to dominate the video space, providing unprecedented opportunities to the brands for engagement and growth. With over 2 billion users and trillions of views, the reach Youtube provides you as a creator and a marketer is unparalleled, enabling you to tap into a market consisting of diverse demographics and audiences.
Today, we shared with you some of the most important statistics you need to know to make your video content cater to the preferences of the majority audience. You can leverage these statistics and trend trajectories to ensure you create videos that are future-ready and impactful, positioning your content to thrive in the ever-evolving and competitive digital landscape.
We hope the data we collected has been helpful. What do you think the future holds? Do you intend to use video in your marketing campaign in the upcoming year? Do let us know. See you with another cool and informative piece.