Study: YouTube dominates kids’ attention
January 19, 2023
Findings from the Precise Advertiser Report: Kids report from research agency Giraffe Insights indicate that YouTube dominates most categories in terms of viewership and performance, with nine in 10 kids surveyed saying they consume YouTube content.
Furthermore, 84 per cent of kids say YouTube is the main way they consume video content, with 40 per cent of kids spending up to two hours a day on YouTube. YouTube viewership for kids is also growing on connected TV (CTV), while viewership on portable devices is shrinking.
A new trend emerging is TikTok as a performance channel, with the study revealing more than 50 per cent of kids have bought or asked for something they have seen advertised on TikTok. TikTok appears to be following a similar trajectory as YouTube, with Precise TV’s previous PARK studies reporting YouTube ad recall is superior to broadcast TV. In fact, this latest report reveals that half of kids remember seeing an ad on YouTube, with kids asserting the ‘best commercials’ they see are on YouTube.
The survey was conducted with 2,000 families in the United States, including kids between the ages of two and 12 years old and their parents. Precise TV and Giraffe Insights conduct studies every few months to keep a close pulse on the emerging trends surrounding family viewership habits and household spending patterns. Producing this report is tied to Precise TV’s mission to provide responsible COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)-compliant ways for brands to get in front of kids and their parents enjoying popular content – from shows to games.
“These findings suggest that TikTok has more reach with kids in the US than Instagram and Snapchat combined, but YouTube is still winning overall attention thanks to its prominent role as the top video platform families enjoy on their connected televisions,” notes Christian Dankl, Precise TV Co-Founder and Chairman. “The report also reveals critical insights such as YouTube commercials still being kids’ favourite, while uncovering new findings such as TikTok ads gaining popularity and driving a lot of household purchases. I’m keen for these insights to further fuel Precise TV’s contextual intelligence engine and help our partners drive better sales in 2023.”
Adding a layer of intrigue to the YouTube and TikTok narrative, the PARK study also examined the emergence of YouTube Shorts, YouTube’s short-form entertainment response to TikTok. It seems YouTube knows the power of its ads and is using some YouTube ad inventory to market YouTube Shorts and drive people from YouTube to YouTube Shorts. The report reveals:
- 50 per cent of kids who watch YouTube are aware of YouTube Shorts.
- Four in 10 kids who watch YouTube also watch YouTube Shorts.
- A fifth of those who have watched YouTube Shorts also remember seeing YouTube Shorts ads on YouTube.
The report goes on to disclose a myriad of findings to help modern marketers influence household purchasing decisions. A few examples of insights include:
- Almost all parents co-view content with their child, with nearly half doing this on a daily basis.
- Seven in 10 parents say their child has asked for something from a commercial they have seen while co-viewing.
- One in 10 parents have bought something via a QR code.
- LEGO tops brand awareness and 66 per cent of families surveyed own LEGO toys.
“Insights from this report are particularly critical for toy and gaming companies navigating the rough economic seas ahead,” says Holly Paxman Gibb, VP of Kids Media Sales at Precise TV. “We don’t simply want this information out – we’re eager to sit down with brands to discuss what these trends mean and how they can take meaningful action to boost the performance of their video marketing campaigns.”
“We’ve tailored our research to identify the most critical trends surrounding families,” adds Sadie Buckingham, Insight Director at Giraffe Insights. “We’re confident this report will prove worthwhile for marketers aiming to better understand the dynamic relationship between kids and parents.”