Canadian youth and adults are just as likely to turn to YouTube for video content as they are any other digital or traditional TV source.
That is according to Media Monitors, which has released a special report on YouTube usage based on data from both MTM 18+ and MTM Jr. research, focusing on how it’s used and the platform’s place in a broader media landscape in Canadian daily lives.
YouTube is most popular among Canadians aged 12 to 34 (93%), likely as a result of more content on YouTube tailored to teenagers and young adults, plus the fact that many of the younger age groups grew up on the platform. Older audiences may not be as interested, but YouTube is still used by half of Canadians aged 65 and up. Overall, 83% of online Canadians under 17 used YouTube in the past month, along with 78% of online Canadians 18 and older.
Students (93%), racialized Canadians (92%) and males are more likely to consume YouTube in a typical month.
When it comes to past month viewing, YouTube is roughly as popular as subscription video on demand (SVOD) services among those 2 to 17. They are more likely to be watching either of these sources of content than linear TV via a TV set in the past month. For adults, the preference on sources of content watched is similar across the board. YouTube remains the most popular news source for teens, with two in five teens watching news via the platform.
YouTube is also a major source of audio content for adults – 3 in 5 online Canadians adults have used YouTube to listen to music in the past month, making it more popular than dedicated music streaming services, including Spotify and Apple Music. That trend, however, is not as prevalent for kids: 27% have used YouTube to listen to music in the past month, compared to 64% who have used a music streaming service.
Adult preference for watching YouTube on their smartphones – as opposed to through a connected TV device – is back from pre-pandemic times. As businesses begin to re-open and remote work is scaled back, many Canadians are spending more time outside of their homes and more time on their phones with 70% of YouTube users having watched the platform on a smartphone in the past month.
Kids, on the other hand, cite tablets and Internet-connected TV sets as the device they use most often to watch YouTube. Teens gravitate more towards their smartphones to watch YouTube. YouTube Kids, a modified version of the platform that caters to a younger audience, has also found success, with 71% of parents or guardians aware of the platform and 43% having children who have used it. Usage is primarily driven by the YouTube Kids app rather than the browser-based version.
