The first type of ad YouTube launched was the Participatory ad. This was after Google acquired YouTube in 2006. Since then, it has launched other types of ads with different payment systems. Some of these ads are skippable and non-skippable in-stream ads, bumper ads, and out-stream ads.
The exciting thing is that the YouTube population has grown exponentially over the years. This has made it the first choice for marketers and brands to reach a wider audience. As YouTube continues growing, more marketers will join the train as well. Here's a list of the most powerful YouTube ads statistics in 2023. This article covers the trends, numbers, and research you need to know to maximize this platform.
General YouTube Ads Statistics
1. 70% of YouTube users said they bought a product after seeing its ad on YouTube
(Google)
In this survey by Google itself, 70% of the respondents claimed to have purchased a product because they saw a YouTube ad. This is proof that the conversion rate for YouTube ads is very high. Approximately half of the YouTube population still believes that ads are only run on YouTube for authentic products. They rate YouTube ads on the same level as TV ads. Because of this belief, most people will only buy a product advertised on TV or YouTube.
2. In the fourth quarter of 2021 alone, YouTube recorded an ad revenue of $8.6 billion.
(Statista)
YouTube ads that are run well always bring back massive returns for the recipient. This is why marketers, businesses, organizations, and so on put a lot of effort into creating ads that convert. Amazingly, it's not only these bodies that profit from the system. The more returns the ads generate for them, the more income YouTube makes. And YouTube has made as much as $8.6 billion in one quarter of the year.
3. Between 2020 and 2021, Apple’s YouTube ads expenses were the highest
(Statista)
No doubt, marketing and revenue are interlocked. Companies that invest in marketing make more sales. In the same way, companies that make more sales never take their eyes off marketing. This was the story of Apple from March 2020 to February 2021. Apple poured as much as $237.15 million on YouTube ads within a year. During that time, the giant tech company also recorded a significant increase in revenue.
4. From 2020 to 2021, YouTube ads revenue increased by 25%
(YouTube)
From 2020, the online space experienced an increase in engagement. The pandemic and its emergency lockdown gave people more time to be online. Except for freelancers, most organizations shut down for a while. YouTube was one of the social media spaces people turned to for companionship. Immediately, businesses took advantage of this change and launched more ads. In the one year the lockdown lasted, YouTube recorded a whopping 25% more revenue than the previous year.
5. Hyundai’s collaboration with BTS has the highest YouTube ad views
(YouTube)
The music band BTS has become an internet sensation today. Hardly is there a day that something doesn't fly around about these guys. They've gained so much popularity that they would sell almost any ad with them. Hyundai took advantage of this when it collaborated with BTS for its Dark Selfie Challenge ad. As of 2021, this ad has been viewed more than 105 million times.
6. In 2021, YouTube made $28 billion in ad revenue
(Statista)
No doubt, YouTube's most significant source of revenue is ads. The population of YouTube users keeps increasing exponentially. As this happens, its potential to earn more from ads does too. In 2021, it made a whopping $28 billion globally, which is 46% more than its revenue the previous year. By the end of 2023, it's expected to earn more. No wonder giant companies are investing 90% of their marketing energy here.
7. YouTube ads can reach 2.56 billion people
(YouTube)
With the number of YouTube users exceeding 2 billion, marketers or business owners can cover more ground. It is one of the biggest paid advertising opportunities, as a single ad on YouTube can reach more than half of the internet users. It can also get to more than 32% of the global population. Businesses whose prospects use YouTube can leverage this statistic to bring more people into their sales funnel.
8. India boasts of the highest number of YouTube Users
(HootSuite)
Guess the country that makes up a quarter of the total YouTube population. That's right, India does! As of January 2023, the number of YouTube users in India alone was estimated to be 467 million. If you're running YouTube ads for a global product, you might want to target this physiographical region in Southern Asia. The USA has the second-largest YouTube ads audience. However, they're only about 247 million, which is lower than India's numbers. Surprisingly, the UK ranks at number 11 on this list with 57,600,000 users.
9. Male users form the most significant part of the YouTube ads audience
(HootSuite)
This is quite surprising. The population of females globally is higher than that of males, but the narrative is different here. The biggest YouTube ad audience is males between 25 and 34 years old. And they form 11.6% of the total population. The next in line are males aged 35 to 45, and they form another 9.0%. On the other hand, females make up 8.6% and 7.5% of these age groups, respectively.
10.YouTube ads can reach 37.7% of the global age 18+ population
(HootSuite)
In many countries, the legal adult age is 18. This means your YouTube ads can reach 37.7% of adults globally. Most likely, the ones that have the authority to buy what you're selling. According to this statistic, this is approximately 2.09 billion users. Of course, males still make up the most significant part of this population at 53.9%. However, the total female population for this age range is 46.1%.
11. 90% of the global YouTube population discover new brands on YouTube
(Google)
With a vast majority of brands running ads on YouTube, this is not surprising. It's easy to come across your favorite brands or products while watching a video. However, it's much easier to come across a brand you've never heard of. The only brands not investing in YouTube ads are those whose prospects don't hang out on YouTube.
12. 50% of YouTube users are less likely to skip ads while watching a video
(Ipsos)
While watching TV, you can quickly switch to doing something else when a commercial break comes on. However, this is different when watching YouTube videos. The timeframe for YouTube ads is so short that viewers wouldn't want to miss out on their videos. 50% are more likely just to see the ad and be done with it. This means marketers have to maximize their YouTube ads to create awesome content about their products.
13. In this survey, 40% of people bought products they had seen on YouTube
(Google)
This shows how powerful YouTube ads are. For many people, the quality of the adverts makes them buy specific products. For others, the adverts only gave them a little more push to make a purchase decision. If 40% of people buy products they see on YouTube, marketers should channel their paid advertising here.
14. YouTube ads revenue was $5.04 billion in Q3 2020
(Statista)
YouTube ads revenue has increased since it launched its ads system in September 2006. With more people signing up on the platform, its potential reach grew. As of Q3 2020, the number of YouTube users had expanded exponentially. During that period alone, the video company made $5.04 billion. This was the highest revenue that year. And it signaled a 32% YOY increase.
15. The first version of YouTube ads was Participatory video ads
(The Atlantic)
If you recently joined YouTube, you may not have heard of Participatory video ads. Well, this is because the company runs new systems of ads. However, in 2006, when YouTube launched its ads program, it was participatory. The customer had to be curious to see it. They could also rate, comment, share, and even embed these ads in other places. It's different now. YouTube noticed an extra level of engagement with ads that just pop in your videos.
16. 79% of marketers in the United States say they’re confident about YouTube ads
(emarketer)
In a survey of US marketers, 79% of respondents boasted about their YouTube ads. They were very sure their ads would yield positive returns. However, it takes lots of effort and dedication to achieve these feet.
YouTube Usage Statistics
17. YouTube users spent an average of 30 minutes per visit
(Statista)
This is not surprising as there are many exciting things to watch on YouTube. The average time a user spends when they open the YouTube app is 29 minutes and 37 seconds. In 2020, this average view time was 3% lower. This shows a steady increase in the number of users and the value attached to the app.
18. T-Series is the YouTube channel with the highest number of subscribers
(Statista, YouTube)
We weren't joking when we said India held the largest YouTube audience. This Indian YouTube channel has the largest audience in YouTube's history. As of now, the channel boasts 212 million subscribers. This could be because it's India's most prominent music label and movie studio. It is followed quite closely by YouTube Movies and Cocomelon.
19. YouTube records an average of 1 billion hours of watch time per day
(YouTube)
YouTube is not only growing in users. It is increasing in watch time as well. As more people come in, the number of time spent on the app increases. Apart from this, the rise of valuable content has created more interest in the app. People now find more value in the video app and use it more than they've been doing before.
20. YouTube users view an average of 11 pages per visit
(Alexa)
You probably didn't know this before. With how YouTube is designed, you could visit 20 pages in one visit and not even realize it. It doesn't matter if you're visiting a specific page. Its personalization techniques will draw your attention to something that concerns you. With proper market research, marketers can discover which pages their prospects are viewing. And by doing this, they'll be able to optimize their ads appropriately.
21. 62% of YouTube users visit the platform every day
(Statista)
No doubt, video content has become the highest means of engagement. And where's the first place people go to for this? YouTube. People can access tutorials, lectures, music videos, and other things that catch their fancy. Apart from this, you'd often find a link to a YouTube video when you browse the web. By optimizing video content SEO, brands can quickly scale their ads. Some of these techniques are page descriptions, search metrics, e.t.c.
22. Music is the most popular genre on YouTube
(HootSuite, Statista)
This is not surprising at all. Baby Shark Dance has the highest number of views on YouTube. As of 2023, it has hit 10.41 billion views. This is followed at a distance by Despacito, at 7.8 billion views. Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You and Johnny Johnny Yes Papa are others on this list. Apart from this, the most searched terms are all about songs. DJ, dance, karaoke, new songs, and tik-tok are only a few of these popular terms. If marketers run their ads on music or dance-related channels, they're likely to get a higher ROI.
23. After Google, YouTube is the most visited website
(SemRush)
According to this ranking by SemRush in November 2021, YouTube ranks next after Google as the most visited website. As we said earlier, even Google searches lead you to YouTube. The third most searched website on Google is also YouTube. There is so much traffic going to this site. This is why there’s no better place for marketers to focus on paid advertising.
24. YouTube is more accessed through mobiles than desktops
(Statista)
On average, 4.63 pages are visited through mobile devices. However, it’s way lower than the desktop, which has an average of 2.87 pages. More users enjoy the mobile app experience compared to the website feel the desktop gives. Wise marketers would optimize their content well so that it can convert leads even on that tiny screen.
YouTube User Demography Statistics
25. United States, India, and Japan and the three countries where YouTube is visited the most
(Alexa)
India may have the highest number of users. However, the United States tops it in this statistic. The United States has the highest number of monthly visitors, with 15.6% traffic. India is the next, and it generates traffic of 9.9%. Japan follows it at 5.2% traffic. If your ad strategy is awareness, this statistic might be helpful.
26. 77% of internet users from age 15 to 35 use YouTube
(Statista)
The age group 15 to 35 makes up the highest YouTube population. Since this group of people is the most internet-savvy, they're more likely to use the platform more. Also, this group of people is known to read less and watch more. They gravitate toward video content more than any other. The least population of users are within the age of 56 and above. Yet they make up about 67%. If your target market falls in this age group, it's better not to stay only on YouTube.
27. Children that are 11 years and below watch YouTube every day
(Pew Research)
Who said only adults watch YouTube? This statistic by Pew Research proves that even children love YouTube videos. With the emergence of parental controls, family link apps, and YouTube Kids, it's even more accessible. 53% of parents agree with this. If you're running ads for children's products, this could also be a means to reach out to their parents.
28. 1.7 billion people visit YouTube every month
(HootSuite)
This is not even the exciting part. Interestingly, these 1.7 billion visitors amount to 14.3 billion visits per month. Imagine 1.7 billion people visiting the site 14.3 billion times. That's approximately nine visits per person. Don't forget that a user can view about nine pages on average in one visit. Now, this is cool marketing information. Locate your target audience, visit frequency, and pages they view, and you'll have an ad strategy.
29. 77% of US YouTube users live in urban areas
(Pew Research)
According to this research by Pew, most of the people who use YouTube in the US live in the city. This research also shows that another 74% live in suburban areas. The lowest, which is 64%, live in the rural areas. This is most likely the same in all parts of the world. Urban settlers are more internet savvy than rural settlers. If your goal as a marketer is to reach out to rural places, maybe YouTube is not the only place you need to be.
30. Only 28% of YouTube videos are in the English language
(Pew Research)
Once again, we've seen that English does not dominate the web. YouTube itself is available in more than 80 languages. No wonder it can reach a vast audience. Other languages make up 67% of the total videos published on YouTube. However, this doesn't mean that ads written in English will not sell. Remember that English may not be dominant. But most people speak it as their second language.
31. Most families that earn more than $100,000 use YouTube
(Statista)
$100,000 is a lot of money. Especially when you convert it to other currencies. Families that make this much are tagged “high-income households.” If these are your target audience, you know where to find them.
32.A vast majority of YouTube users are college-educated
(Google)
According to this survey by Google itself, YouTube is where to find educated people. A significant percentage of the population also boasts of a college degree. If your products or services are highly technical, you know where to place your ads. There, you’d not need to start from problem awareness level marketing. You can go straight to the product awareness level.
33. Baby Boomers would rather watch a YouTube tutorial on a new product
(Google)
Rather than read a manual, or browse through blogs, boomers would rather see a video of this product. Apart from running ads, this is quite helpful in marketing. If your page is SEO optimized, people can find you when seeking a solution in your niche. You can market your products and even reach a more specific audience through this.
YouTube Marketing Statistics
34. 50% of marketers use YouTube ads for marketing
(Social Media Examiner)
With the potential of broad reach YouTube promises, this is not surprising. Marketers would jump at anything that promises them a wider reach. Since bringing prospects into the sales funnel is their primary goal, they'd gladly use YouTube for that.
35. Marketers use Facebook Live more than YouTube Live
(Sprout Social)
YouTube may be smooth for running ads. However, it isn’t fantastic for making live videos. YouTube Live is yet to be accepted and adopted by many YouTube users. From this research, only 14% of marketers currently use YouTube Live. On the other hand, Facebook Live has the attention of 30% of marketers. The trend is YouTube for ads, Facebook or Instagram for live videos.
36. YouTube works well for influencer marketing.
(Statista)
Open the YouTube app on your mobile device, and you'll surely see an influencer's page in the first few scrolls. Influencers have dominated the YouTube space as they've done with Instagram. Also, more people would take an influencer's words over a brand's. This is how apart from ads, 70% of marketers are maximizing this platform for more leads.
37. 71% of marketers will use YouTube more for video marketing
(Marketing Chart)
Not only is the presence of video marketing bright, but the future is also even brighter. As of now, 50% already use YouTube for ads and other marketing strategies. A whopping 70% are also on the path to increasing their use. As the number of YouTube users increases, more opportunities will be open for marketers. What to do as a brand is simple. Improve the quality of your video content and start implementing paid ads.
38. 53% of Gen-Z women have watched a YouTube tutorial this week
(HootSuite)
Although there are more male YouTube users than females, more women still watch tutorial videos than men. If your prospects are Gen-Z women, the top genres to invest in your paid advertisement would be music, beauty, and tutorials. You could also include tutorials on your page as part of your marketing strategy.
39. YouTube ads gain more attention than television adverts
(Ipsos)
Only about 45% of people pay attention to television adverts. The rest either see it as a break to do something else or just ignore it. However, almost 90% of YouTube ads are paid full attention. Mobile users would rather watch the ad than drop their phones. Since YouTube ads have yielded higher ROI, marketers are gravitating toward them now.
40. Most YouTube users use the app to check for more information about products.
(Google)
Google statistics show that most YouTube users use the app to get more information about products. This is all thanks to the influencers' community on YouTube. YouTube viewers are four times more likely to look up a product on the app before buying it.
Conclusion
YouTube ads are a great way to optimize video marketing. Since most people today look to videos for various purposes, you can quickly reach a broad audience. However, before you invest your marketing budget on ads, learn the tricks, strategies, and working techniques to scale your ads. Also, ensure you carry out detailed market research.
References
Alexa
Statista
Statista
Statista
Google Blog
Youtube
Statista
Alexa
Marketing Charts
Statista
Hootsuite
Hootsuite
Statista
Ipsos
Think with Google
Pewresearch
Pewresearch
Sproutsocial
eMarketer
Ludjon, who co-founded Codeless, possesses a deep passion for technology and the web. With over a decade of experience in constructing websites and developing widely-used WordPress themes, Ludjon has established himself as an accomplished expert in the field.
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