YouTube Is The New TV đź“ş

More U.S. viewers now watch YouTube on TV screens than on mobile and desktop.

Author

Lindsey Gamble
February 13, 2025

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TODAY’S EDITION

  • TV takes the lead in how U.S. viewers watch YouTube content

  • Instagram rolls out thumbnail customization for posts on the grid.

  • YouTube partners with Repurpose.io to help creators bring their TikTok content to YouTube.

  • TikTok shares a workaround for downloading the app.

  • LinkedIn makes it easier for users to send posts to their connections.

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DEEP DIVE

YouTube Redefines TV and Takes Over the Living Room

YouTube

TV has officially surpassed mobile as the primary way people consume YouTube content in the U.S., based on watch time. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed this in a letter outlining the platform’s big bets for 2025, with TV being a key focus.

For over two years, YouTube has topped Nielsen’s The Gauge report as the leading TV streaming platform, surpassing competitors like Netflix. This success is driven by YouTube’s diverse content library, including creator content, podcasts, music videos, sports, TV shows and movies, and more. As a result, YouTube is redefining what television looks like today.

Viewers are now watching an average of 1 billion hours of YouTube content on their TVs daily. YouTube also leads the U.S. in podcast consumption, with viewers watching over 400 million hours of podcasts on TV devices.

YouTube’s Push for a TV-First Experience

YouTube has been accelerating its TV-focused shift with several updates. It has rolled out a sleeker interface that enhances the look and feel of content, making it resemble premium streaming services. Additionally, the launch of Primetime Channels and securing the NFL Sunday Ticket have been major steps forward.

But YouTube isn’t just focusing on traditional TV features. It’s leaning into interactivity, with new features like a second-screen experience, where viewers can watch a video on their TV while engaging with it on their phone—whether that's commenting or shopping. Additionally, the platform is testing a “Watch With” feature, where creators provide live commentary and reactions to NFL games, expanding this to other sports and events later this year.

Creators are getting more tools for the TV experience too, including insights into how their content performs on TV, such as the percentage compared to other devices and ad revenue generated from TV devices. There’s also the ability for creators to organize content into seasons and episodes.

Creators Deserve Credit for YouTube’s TV Dominance

While YouTube is making strategic moves, much of its success is thanks to creators. The YouTube creator ecosystem has grown significantly, with more creators producing content that rivals Hollywood in both production value and format. The fact that audiences are watching this content on the biggest screen in their home speaks volumes about its quality.

More Creators Are Entering Hollywood

This shift is happening as YouTube creators make their way into Hollywood. MrBeast shattered records with Beast Games on Amazon Prime, and Netflix recently signed a deal with Miss Rachel to bring her YouTube content to the platform. Kids programming YouTube channel pocket.watch has also recently expanded to streaming services like Hulu and Peacock. Creators are also making waves in live sports, reality TV, documentaries, and dramas across streaming platforms.

This trend is set to increase. Amazon is reportedly on the lookout for its next Beast Games, and Netflix sees social media platforms as a 'great breeding ground for storytellers' and has even been exploring bringing video podcasts to the platform.

For streamers, investing in creator content is a no-brainer. It’s what audiences want, and it’s often a more cost-effective way to expand programming. That’s why YouTube is poised to dominate TV even more.

The creators best suited for TV are often those who built their audience on YouTube first. Some will stick to producing content specifically for the platform and lean into distribution across TVs, while others will use YouTube as a launchpad for a more traditional Hollywood path. Either way, it’s a win for YouTube, which started out trying to be like traditional streaming services and is now what those services are trying to become.

We’ve seen cable disrupt traditional TV, cable get disrupted by traditional streaming services, and now we’re witnessing YouTube disrupt traditional streaming services.

What This Means for Influencer Marketing

YouTube’s rise in TV viewership presents massive opportunities for influencer marketing. As TV becomes a more common way for audiences to consume YouTube content, brands partnering with creators will benefit from additional reach, with campaign content potentially reaching audiences beyond mobile and desktop.

For those who do sit down on their couches or lay down to watch creator content on their TV screens, there's likely to be more connection with those creators. This means sponsorships and brand integrations will likely be received more positively. Plus, with both native YouTube TV features and second-screen viewing, viewers have a variety of ways to interact with that content. This has the potential to be powerful when it comes to shopping, especially with YouTube’s growing Shopping Affiliate program.

With YouTube also planning to introduce new ways for creators to partner with brands, there’s a lot for influencer marketers to be excited about.

In the meantime, for brands wanting to work with YouTube creators, it’s key to understand that TV is becoming a major discovery point. Brands should start asking creators for insights into what type of content their fans consume on TVs, considering the production value of that content, and looking for opportunities to partner with creators in formats that are TV-friendly, like series and episodic content.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUDCROWD 

How Melinda Maria Drove $1.5M in Attributable Revenue in Just 1 Year with Creator Storefronts

L.A.-based jewelry brand Melinda Maria already had a passionate community of customer advocates and influencers. But they wanted to take it further—turning one-off influencer partnerships and customer gifting into a scalable word-of-mouth marketing engine with attributable revenue.

Enter LoudCrowd.

By launching an ambassador program powered by shoppable Creator Storefronts, community-driven initiatives like virtual workshops and in-person meetups, and performance-based rewards and commissions, Melinda Maria achieved:

  • $1.5M in attribute revenue in year one through 1,700+ creators

  • 345% higher conversion rates on Storefronts compared to the rest of the eCommerce site

  • 3X more UGC from TikTok and Instagram, generating 13M+ impressions per month

  • Reduced industry CPM from $40-$50 to just $5.29

Want to see the full breakdown? Read the case study here. 

QUICK HITS

News, Trends & Insights

Instagram

Instagram has started rolling out thumbnail customization. Creators can now customize thumbnails for Carousels, Feed Posts, and Reels after uploading a post. For those unhappy with the shift to a vertical profile grid and its impact on the aesthetics of their profile, this update offers a solution, allowing creators to adjust the appearance of their posts.

Instagram plans to test new features in its upcoming video editing app, Edits. During a recent AMA, Adam Mosseri shared that Edits will serve as a testing ground for potential features, which, if successful, will be integrated into Instagram. Other platforms have adopted a similar approach, such as Pinterest launching Collages, inspired by its standalone Shuffles app, and ByteDance incorporating editing tools from CapCut into TikTok. By testing features in standalone apps first, platforms can validate them before rolling them out to a larger audience.

YouTube has teamed up with Repurpose.io for a special promo. Creators can sign up for three months of free access to automatically share their TikTok and Instagram content to YouTube. Unlike Meta and others, YouTube has taken a subtler approach to attracting TikTok creators, focusing on educational content like how to get started and breaking down the algorithm. This move is more direct, offering a free way for creators to easily transfer their content to YouTube.

TikTok announced a new way for Android users to access its app. The platform now provides an Android Package Kit (APK), allowing users to "sideload" it. Despite an Executive Order pausing the ban, the app remains unavailable in the Apple App and Google Play stores. Those who deleted TikTok or are downloading it for the first time now have an alternative. This move comes as the TikTok TV app has disappeared from smart TVs.

TikTok introduced a Most Loved Badge for products on TikTok Shop. This badge will appear on products with high ratings, a low return rate, a track record of on-time shipping, and excellent customer service. The badge should boost shopper confidence as it addresses concerns shoppers have had with TikTok Shop, such as inconsistent product quality and counterfeit goods.

LinkedIn is making it easier for users to send posts to each other. When users tap the "Send" button on a post, they can quickly share it with connections they've interacted with recently or search for a specific person. This feature was previously spotted as an iteration. LinkedIn seems to be following Instagram's lead by recognizing messaging as a way for people to discover content. With LinkedIn's strong focus on video, a format that is often shared via messaging, this update has the potential to increase messaging activity and expand the reach of creators.

Amazon launched the Amazon Creators app for Canva. It allows creators to design within Canva and publish directly to their Amazon Storefront. While Amazon offers a native collage tool, Canva has more robust features for creators looking to get creative with product imagery for their Storefront.

Buy Me a Coffee added a Monthly Support option, allowing fans to provide recurring support to creators. Positioned between one-time contributions and subscriptions, it provides an easy way for creators to receive monthly support without the expectation of additional content or exclusive perks.

WHAT I’M READING

59% of U.S. shoppers are most influenced by honest product reviews from creators that highlight both the pros and cons of a product. Other factors that contribute to driving sales include detailed product information, specifications, and demonstrations of the product in use.

TikTok has unveiled its list of 50 "Creators to Watch" across five categories: Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators. These creators are at the forefront of trends and inspiring audiences worldwide.

Last year, Yahoo launched Yahoo for Creators, allowing creators to publish stories and monetize across its platform. Nearly a year later, the publication is working with over 100 creators across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, sharing ad revenue and affiliate commissions with them.

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