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Kids’ Viewing Habits, And How They’re Changing

A friend of mine sent over the PARK USA Q2 report to me a few days ago and it had some pretty interesting insights. You’ll find a lot on kids’ viewing behaviors, favorite shows, and social media usage, but I’ve gone ahead and pulled out some of my favorite findings from the report:

1️⃣ Parents Aren’t as Worried as They Used to be About Their Kids Using YouTube

I think there are a few reasons that we’re seeing this trend. YouTube Kids probably has a lot to do with some of this, but I also feel that we’re seeing a lot of younger creators with “made for kids” content, and YouTube’s algorithms do a better job filtering out content than other platforms (I can’t say the same about Shorts). If you’re a parent and your first child watched YouTube a lot, it’s much easier for you to let your second or third child watch. Parents tend to be stricter with their first child. We’re also seeing a rise of co-viewing and connected TV. Parents can have more control over what their kids are watching when its on the big TV in the living room.

2️⃣ Advertising on YouTube is Incredibly Valuable

The biggest reason why it works so well is because creators are authentic. Kids feel like they know them, and they trust the products that they choose to promote. Advertising has also become widely accepted on YouTube. Later in the report they claim that 2/3 of parents get inspiration for things they buy when they see their kid’s reaction to ads. I don’t have kids, but if I was wondering what to buy this holiday season, I’d be watching a lot of YouTube with them.

3️⃣ We’re Thinking About Holiday Season Gifts Earlier Than Last Year

I think this is a big unlock for advertisers and creators. It makes me think about the recent video we did on Jimmy’s channel where he promoted Feastables for Halloween this year. We could have probably done this sooner and it would have still been relevant for the holiday season. Other creators with seasonal promotions might be able to take sponsorships sooner. Although these trends were for kids and parents, it’s something to consider for older age ranges too.

Kids are still a big portion of who is watching Jimmy on YouTube, really excited to see what Feastables sales look like after Halloween.