You Tube and TikTok is replacing mainstream TV

The way people are watching TV has changed. People are increasingly streaming on connected TVs and mobile phones alongside creator-driven content. YouTube is at the forefront of this shift as the top ad-supported streaming platform with the content people enjoy, and the creators they love.

Consumers are driving this massive shift — streaming what they want when they want.

Linear TV viewing is in steady decline and has been for some time. 
People want to watch the clips and segments they’re most interested in, at a time that works best for them.

The number of YouTube channels with more than 100K subscribers in Australia has increased by over 50% YOY. Google Data, AU, Jan. 2019 vs. Jan. 2018. Traditional TV viewing has dropped from 100 million households in 2014 to 74 million today. And it’s forecast to fall to just 44 million by 2025.

 Today, streaming and TV are one and the same.

Faced with this shift, we have understandably accelerated their embrace of connected and digital-first TV advertising. Those who don’t risk irrelevance. Brands now need to pursue a mixed digital marketing channel and not stick to traditional TV as the audience has shifted. Not only that, we are consuming more creator content than ever before.

The abundance of viewing on digital platforms has put to rest the notion that “premium” content is the only way to attract eyeballs. Now, 73% of people describe good content as something personal and relevant³ that relates to their passions. The new premium is about control and choice, not production values, and only 15% of people say TV must be professionally produced at all.

The growing popularity of connected devices means that old distinctions between network TV, digital, and streaming are disappearing. Between 2019 and 2020, we saw YouTube watch time on TV screens nearly double, with over 120 million people watching every month. This in turn lets people re-create the shared big-screen TV experience and watch together. A single piece of creative won't cut it anymore.

“YouTube is going to explode in terms of investment from advertising in 2022. I feel like it's a sleeping giant, but I think that the move away from linear TV, fragmentation with subscriptions, and streaming services all means that more advertising spend is going to move to YouTube,” Digital Marketing Institute

When you talk about social media, TikTok is a platform to consider if you’re not already using it. The rapid rise of TikTok has seen the app reach 1 billion users and counting. “For a while, TikTok was sort of met with an eye roll, and isn't that just for the kids? Now we see a lot of influencers like Gordon Ramsay and older celebrities, even Rod Stewart is on TikTok and doing very well. Brands are beginning to see they can reach a lot more people on TikTok than on Instagram or Facebook.” Digital Marketing Institute

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