3 big reasons we’re feeling digital video

Discover the mindsets and emotions driving the streaming boom.

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All of us, from Gen Zers to boomers, are watching more digital video than ever.

Whether we’re trying to escape a bad day, looking to pick up a new hobby, or hoping to see what everyone is talking about, digital video is for everyone.

There’s no shortage of content. Every day brings a new series to watch, creator to follow, or trend to try. Despite cable TV having boasted a wide variety of channels for years, digital video continues to meet our needs in new and compelling ways.

So what’s behind the shift?

To understand the motivation behind the digital video boom, we partnered with media agency OMG to conduct in-depth research with 2,003 people in the U.S.1

Digital video is any video content that’s streamed over the web, including ad-supported and subscription streaming platforms.

Methodology

We surveyed 2,003 people in the U.S., conducted 75 weeklong digital ethnographies, and hosted 15 in-home sessions to observe video consumption behaviors throughout the day.

Empowerment

Community

Happiness

We observed three key mindset motivators that are driving the novel engagement with digital video content.

Empowerment

Digital video empowers people to determine every aspect of their viewing experiences. Because they can search and discover a wide variety of content easily and on their own terms, they are in total control.

Empowerment

Digital video empowers people to determine every aspect of their viewing experiences. Because they can search and discover a wide variety of content easily and on their own terms, they are in total control.

Downtime is the only time of my day where I have a sense of control. It’s control over what I choose to watch.

Erika

Sixty-six percent of people choose to watch digital video content during their downtime peak hours of 8–11 p.m.2

WHERE PEOPLE GO TO
LEARN NEW SKILLS3

47% DIGITAL VIDEO 82% YOUTUBE 43% TV

From explaining taxes to demonstrating makeup techniques, YouTube creators share their expertise to inspire and empower us to take action.

Nixia

WHERE PEOPLE GO
FOR FRESH CONTENT4

YOUTUBE 85% DIGITAL VIDEO 77% YOUTUBE 85% DIGITAL VIDEO 77%

Increased YouTube usage during the pandemic has been driven by our need to refresh and start anew.

Community

Digital video simultaneously expands our worldviews and connects us to like-minded individuals, creating more empathy toward others.

Fifty-eight percent of people say YouTube helps them connect with the world.5

Community

Digital video simultaneously expands our worldviews and connects us to like-minded individuals, creating more empathy toward others.

Fifty-eight percent of people say YouTube helps them connect with the world.5

WHERE PEOPLE FIND CONTENT THAT REFLECTS SOCIAL AND CULTURAL MOVEMENTS6

51% YOUTUBE 31% DIGITAL VIDEO 31% 51% DIGITAL VIDEO YOUTUBE

Timothy

WHERE WE FIND PERSONALLY
RELEVANT CONTENT7

50% YOUTUBE 32% TV YOUTUBE 50% TV 32%

With digital video, we can find content that caters to our individual tastes and specific experiences.

You feel like a community. Like, OMG, I get to meet you; I watch you all the time … the comments are the best part of the video because someone will say something that you’re thinking.

Zelicka

Digital video platforms like YouTube foster a sense of community by bringing like-minded people together.

Happiness

Digital video can uplift, humor, entertain, and offer time for reflection. In fact, 80% of YouTube users say the platform makes them happy.8

Happiness

Digital video can uplift, humor, entertain, and offer time for reflection. In fact, 80% of YouTube users say the platform makes them happy.8

Eric

Where People Go To Find
Content for All Moods9

70% RELY ON DIGITAL VIDEO 70% RELY ON DIGITAL VIDEO

Anthony

YOUTUBE HAS BECOME PEOPLE’S MAIN STREAM

WATCH YOUTUBE AND YOUTUBE TV ON THEIR TV SCREENS 10 120M PEOPLE

Digital video is no longer just about phones and computers. We’re bringing our personal passions to the big screen, finding new ways to connect and share more of ourselves with the world.

It’s therapy, it’s shopping, it’s entertainment, it’s comfort. Anything that you can think of is on YouTube.

Research
Participant

Digital video is a versatile medium that is also hyperpersonal. It morphs and reflects our needs and aspirations from day to day, even hour to hour.

We’ve hit fast-forward on our relationship with digital video.

We’re pressing play more often because of diverse creators and extensive content that’s available to us 24/7. Whether we want to find something relatable or outside our comfort zones, digital video is meeting our needs and matching our moods.

By Kim Gardner

Content and Narratives Lead, YouTube Ads

Credits

Copy & Design: Grow (Agency); Product Lead: Casey Fictum; Production Lead: Jenny Maughan.

Vanessa Hensler contributed research to this story.

Sources

1.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
2.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
3.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
4.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
5.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
6.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
7.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
8.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
9.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.
10.
Google/Talk Shoppe, U.S., whyVideo post COVID-19 study, n=2,003 A18-64 Genpop video users, May 2020.