YouTube viewers are pivoting to TV screens as their method of choice for watching content, a trend that experienced significant growth before and during the height of the pandemic. We estimate that 113.1 million US YouTube viewers, 52.8% of total viewers, watched the platform's content on connected TV (CTV) devices in 2020. Those numbers will increase to 130.8 million and 57.7% by 2022.

YouTube is the most popular platform for non-TV video content in the US, with 65% of the country’s short-form video viewers using the service to watch user-generated content, video game livestreams, and the like.

The medium screen: New data on ad impressions shows that more YouTube viewing is happening on TVs, suggesting the platform will soon become an increasingly popular place to reallocate TV ad dollars.

More video viewers turn to ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) and free streaming options.

YouTube is carving into social commerce and TV measurement: The platform is leveraging both its deep pool of creators and large TV-based audience to get a leg up on competitors.

Digital video viewership, time spent with the medium, and video ad spending are all reaching new heights in Canada.

While Spotify’s podcast listenership is on the rise, at 28.2 million, it’s still low compared with the 223.5 million monthly US YouTube viewers we expect for this year. Video could help attract some of those viewers interested in visual content. For marketers that use host-read ads: Sponsorships can be a lot more engaging in video podcasts, as hosts can give product demos or offer other visual aids.

YouTube viewing is shifting to connected TV (CTV) screens, a behavioral change that could help make YouTube a powerful alternative for TV advertisers moving dollars to digital video.

Canadian viewership will reach new heights this year, according to our latest digital video viewer forecast.

eMarketer principal analysts Mark Dolliver and Nicole Perrin join vice president of content studio Paul Verna to discuss why companies are abandoning Facebook's cryptocurrency, AMC Theaters' recent foray into the streaming wars, younger viewers' preference for Netflix vs. YouTube and more.

Digital video viewership in Canada is among the highest in the world, driven by high usage of YouTube and Netflix.

Although mobile video ad spending and viewer numbers are surging, most streaming still happens through TVs. Mobile video consumption and ad spending figures are heavily influenced by out-stream ads that appear within users’ feeds on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. YouTube also gets much of its traffic from mobile.