One of the most prominent social media sites in the world, YouTube streams to over 122 million people internationally in one day. And with India seeing rapid digitalization in the recent times, YouTube’s domination of online streaming in the country is only warming up.
What Tube?
Most recently, the TAM AdEx-Digital Half Yearly Advertising Report showed that digital media witnessed an increase in ad impressions by 33% in Jan-Jun’23 as compared to Jan-Jun’21. And in that same period, YouTube led the list of web publishers and applications, in terms of ad impressions. During the Jan-Jun’23 period, YouTube alone had 21% of ad impressions.
While digital ad impressions during Jan-Jun’22 witnessed a surge of 42% compared to Jan-Jun’21, while during Jan-Jun’23 the increase was by 33%, YouTube was the leading web publisher during Jan-Jun’23, and among apps, YouTube and YouTube Music respectively lead the lineup.
Pointing out that when it comes to ad impressions, the website holds a 21% share, while the mobile app accounts for 17%, Sandeep Saini, Vice President- Growth, Team Pumpkin, says “Beyond its remarkable user base, there are a number of other factors that make YouTube a very appealing platform for marketers. It provides a wide range of features and capabilities for a brand to thrive in the market. Further it also allows the marketers to interact with their target audience in a way that is highly tailored, effective, and economical helping in creation of successful campaigns.”
Karan Anand, SVP – Strategy, Interactive Avenues (the digital arm of IPG Mediabrands India), observes that YouTube has been a trailblazer in content democratization, empowering creators with extensive monetization options. “Its algorithmic prowess and seamless integration with Google services expand its user base and allure to advertisers. YouTube continues to secure its dominance amid fierce competition.”
Beyond its massive user base, YouTube's advertising appeal lies in its comprehensive suite of tools that guide consumers through the entire journey. From Director Mix for personalized ads to Shopping and Live Ads for real-time interaction, the platform offers diverse options.
Maanesh Vasudeo, Sr. Vice President - Media Operations, LS Digital, says, "When we look at YouTube, we see more than just the oldest streaming platform; it holds a unique and pivotal role in the content space. YouTube has a distinctive advantage, striking a balance between content aggregation and user-generated content."
Anand further points out Creative Insights keeps advertisers updated, collaborations with YouTubers enhance influencer campaigns, and Content Adjacency Controls ensure brand safety. YouTube's amalgamation of reach, targeting, and engagement tools makes it an indispensable component for brands in crafting effective advertising strategies across digital media and beyond.
How Why Where Tube?
A digital industry veteran who preferred to remain unnamed calls it the Swiss Army knife of content platforms. "But it's also a goldmine for advertisers. With its vast, engaged audience, diverse ad formats, pinpoint targeting, and robust analytics, it's a marketer's dream. But what really sets it apart is YouTube Live. It can be a powerful tool for advertisers to reach their target audience and build relationships with them."
For example, when IShowSpeed came, his 'Mumbai darshan' stream drew remarkable fan engagement. He took his fans on a virtual tour of the city, showcasing its vibrant culture. The stream drew in over 30 lakh views in less than 24 hours, demonstrating the potential of YouTube Live to break the internet and reach a massive audience.
Indeed, the success of YouTube is a sum of many parts.
“The first part is access. Most consumption in India is Android devices. It comes as a built-in app on Android devices. And just one tap, you already launched a video. There is no selection here. So that means the friction needed from thought to delivery is one tap. There is not a single video platform on this planet, which has aced that, with the exception of probably Instagram. Outside of that, no one's been able to come close to it,” asserts Preetham Venkky, Chief Digital Officer, DDB Mudra Group. “Whereas the moment you launch on YouTube, it starts playing something. And you don't reject it because the algorithm is so good that you will almost always watch whatever pops up because it's based on your previous selections.”
“YouTube can compress videos that even if you're on your phone on a slightly lower 4G network, you're able to still watch them at a level of quality acceptable by you. Whereas OTT platforms are not able to do that, they can’t match the compression quality offered by YouTube, to the point that I'd watch cricket on YouTube on TV rather than any OTT channel. And there is the fact that their servers and everything is so beautifully co-located that you will always get it at speed without any buffering,” says Venkky.
The third thing, which Venkky thinks is a fantastic Trojan horse, is this category of content that YouTube excels at, called edutainment. “The killer feature of YouTube is edutainment, which nobody gets. Even the 60 second Short on YouTube supersedes that of Instagram because Instagram is only entertainment while YouTube is edutainment. Most of the time, people don't want to have the guilt of entertainment without having to have taken away something useful.”
And as mentioned, there are plenty of creators to scratch that dopamine itch.
"One of YouTube's compelling strengths lies in its enduring partnerships and its wide accessibility to consumers. With its presence on virtually every device, be it phones or now connected TVs, it boasts an unparalleled reach," says Vasudeo, adding, “This widespread presence, coupled with years of technological innovation, empowers us to precisely target the right consumers, including niche audiences. It's a win-win situation for both partners and media agencies.”
