When it comes to deciding what to watch, today’s audiences are experiencing an explosion of choice. With a seemingly infinite amount of content to select from, the way people watch and engage continues to shift at pace. For advertisers, this increasingly fragmented media landscape can feel overwhelming. But in this new era of entertainment, viewers are still choosing YouTube.
According to a survey by Kantar, YouTube is the No. 1 video service viewers in Australia1 and New Zealand2 say they watch the most. Across both countries, YouTube is where millions of fans come to immerse themselves in what they care about, whenever and however they want. At Brandcast 2024 in Sydney, we unveiled new consumer research and YouTube insights that show that tapping into engaged fandoms translates into better business results. Engaging for fans and effective for brands, here are three reasons why there's only one YouTube for achieving your business goals.
Want a real YouTube creator’s POV on the insights from Brandcast? We asked our mate, graphic designer and YouTube creator elliotisacoolguy to help us document all the lightbulb moments. Get a play-by-play of all the top research and actionable insights, and watch him design your unofficial Brandcast recap poster from scratch.
Audiences are finding their flow state
According to Ipsos iris, YouTube reaches 97% of online Australian adults.3 And in New Zealand, according to YouTube data it reaches 90% of Kiwi adults.4 Creators are at the centre of this popularity, making the type of high-quality content that used to be exclusive to TV networks. Sharing their unique perspectives with the world, they’re redefining culture while forging authentic connections with deeply interested fans.
According to a survey by Kantar conducted in Australia, viewers are 2.5x more likely to choose YouTube when they want to deeply understand a topic, compared to other video based platforms.5 Audiences are deeply engaged, but research shows two different engagement styles have drastically different outcomes for viewers and brands.
Positive engagement, known as the flow state, is a mindset of deep immersion with viewers feeling energised and inspired afterwards. It’s the opposite of zoning out - resulting in feelings of guilt and wasted time.
Importantly for brands, flow state pays off. Research found that people in flow states are 28 points higher in brand awareness after seeing an ad compared to those in a zoned out state.6 That’s because when in flow state people generally process information better and feel more positively about content they see. And compared to other video based platforms, YouTube is where viewers have the highest rates of flow.7
Viewers are engaging on every screen
From Shorts to the living room, these highly-receptive YouTube audiences are watching an unrivalled breadth and depth of content across all screens and formats. YouTube gives viewers the unique freedom to engage with content their way — from keeping up with NickandCarrie on mobile to families gathering around the TV to watch Michelle Khare complete her next feat on Challenge Accepted.
According to Ipsos iris, in June this year the average online adult in Australia watched more than 75 minutes of YouTube per day across all screens.8 In the same month, more than 14.8 million adults in Australia9 and 2 million adults in New Zealand10 tuned in to watch the content they love on the big screen.
For brands, YouTube delivers the freedom and flexibility to be effective in whatever format works for you. Whether you’re building a long-form branded film or your shortest ad yet, you can find maximum effectiveness on a truly multi-format platform.
Brands can drive the outcomes they care about
YouTube’s unique ability to engage audiences all adds up to tangible results for brands. According to Analytic Partners, YouTube is proven to deliver 2.2x long term brand impact compared to other platforms.11 And when it comes to CTV, YouTube has the highest ROI of all CTV content providers — which is 23% higher than the closest competitor.12
Take it from brands who are building impressive results on YouTube, like eBay Australia who launched a new brand platform last year. As part of their full-funnel media approach, they used Video View Campaigns to drive efficiency and consideration for the brand. They saw a 129% increase in views at 58% less cost–per-view.13
Another example is how Sony Electronics harnessed Demand Gen to generate leads for their BRAVIA TVs. They drove a 64% lift in Search interest using lookalike audiences based on their first-party data.14
YouTube helps brands across Australia and New Zealand realise long and short-term results by expanding their creativity, and mixing long and short form content to drive ROI. And powered by Google AI, YouTube can help you achieve more relevance and scale than ever before.
YouTube is your canvas for the long and the short, the epic and the intimate — where your creativity can thrive alongside the world's most influential creators, shaping culture and sparking conversations. When it comes to crafting unforgettable creative advertising experiences and realising powerful business results, there's only one YouTube.
These insights were originally presented at Brandcast 2024 in Sydney.
