Research: YouTube views overtake iPlayer
December 17, 2019
YouTube continues to dominate as the most watched online video service in the world, according to Q3 2019 research from Ampere Analysis. The Google-owned video portal is the most watched service in every country except China ( where iQiYi leads).
For the first time since Q1 2016, YouTube attracted more viewers than BBC iPlayer in the UK, with 57 per cent of Internet users watching a YouTube video in the last month, compared to iPlayer’s 55 per cent.
Netflix continues to be the second most watched service globally, whilst Facebook is the third most popular service for watching online video.
All eyes on Netflix
South Africa leads the way in terms of highest percentage of subscribers who viewed Netflix in the last month, at 83 per cent in Q3 2019.
Turkey has seen the highest increase in viewership this year, with 63 per cent Netflix subscribers watching the service in the last month in Q1. This rose to 77 per cent in Q3 2019.
Although the US has the second highest penetration of Netflix subscribers (68 per cent), it ranks fourth lowest in terms of the proportion of subscribers who viewed the service in the last month.
Social video most watched, but SVoD strongest growth
- 70 per cent of Internet users in the US and Europe have watched a video on a social video service in the last month – an increase of four percentage points since the same quarter last year.
- Although the proportion who have watched a video on an SVoD service is lower, at 55 per cent, this represents an eight point increase over the last year.
Minal Modha, Consumer Research Lead at Ampere Analysis, said: “The strength of short-form video is evident in YouTube’s dominant position as the most viewed in each market surveyed outside of China. Looking at the top 5, three of them are social video platforms which highlights its importance in the viewing mix for consumers”.