YouTube faces a tough future as the platform’s popularity with children has plateaued according to a new report from market research firm, Kids Insights.
The company surveyed 20,000 kids in the UK, and the same amount in the US, during 2018 and found the number of children spending time each day watching YouTube declined from 61 per cent to 51 per cent, and that even among older children (10-15 year olds) the proportion watching anything on YouTube has dropped from 65.4 per cent to 54.8 per cent in the last 12 months.
Kids Insights’ Future Forecast goes on to predict that established channels like YouTube will be challenged by the emergence of new platforms such as the child-friendly, short-form mobile video platform TikTok.
It also suggests a further threat to the dominance of YouTube is the continual rise of gaming, especially within the esports arena. Girls in particular are increasingly embracing esports, both as viewers and players, and this is set to reduce more of YouTube’s younger audience.
Nick Richardson, CEO of The Insights People, which produces the Kids Insights’ Future Forecast reports, said: “It would be a brave organisation to predict the decline of YouTube, but whether it’s through the rising popularity of collaborative activities, such as commenting on esports online or making fun videos with friends to post on TikTok, a decline in children undertaking passive activities like watching YouTube looks inevitable.”
