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June 2, 2025
Audiences are increasingly open to watching films and TV series on YouTube, while the industry sees YouTube as a credible launchpad for premium storytelling, according to a new findings from Looper Insights.
The study found two thirds (66%) of consumers said they often or sometimes discover TV or film content on YouTube, 61% of consumers said they include YouTube as part of their regular streaming routines, and 34% said it’s a main source for TV or film content.
Meanwhile, 84% of executives said they believe YouTube is a viable platform for launching long-form content, with 32% saying “absolutely” and 52% saying “in select cases.” Also, 86% of executives said they are open to launching premium long-form content on YouTube, with 30% actively exploring it as a release platform.
However, YouTube stardom may not be all its cracked up to be in other arenas, as creators moving to Netflix and Amazon Prime risk losing the very thing that made them resonate, according to the study. In the study, 54% of viewers said YouTubers feel more authentic and better suited to YouTube’s native platform. Meanwhile, nearly three fourths (74%) of executives said YouTuber shows underperform on Netflix/Prime due to audiences not migrating across platforms and streamers overvaluing follower counts and misunderstanding fit.
More than half of viewers (52%) would consider using YouTube over other streamers, and 24% would even consider fully replacing one of their services with it.
The majority (85%) of executives believe YouTube can challenge subscription services with 30% saying it’s on track to rival top SVOD players.
Excluding mobile, 47% of viewers in the study said they primarily watch YouTube on their TV, either via a smart TV or a connected TV (CTV) device.
Almost half (44%) of industry executives agree TV (via smart TV or CTV device) is now the main non-mobile platform for YouTube viewing.
The survey was conducted between April 16 and April 25, among 1,115 U.S. consumers and 65 media industry executives.