US Teens Prefer YouTube Over Netflix for Video Content, Says Research

Recent research by investment firm Piper Sandler found that US teens, who grew up in a video streaming-dominated culture, now choose YouTube over Netflix.

Nearly 10,000 members of Generation Z from 49 different states participated in this 46th semi-annual study of teenagers, with an average age of 15 to 16 years. In the poll, teens were asked about Nike, TikTok, iPhones, Taylor Swift, and Amazon, and how they spend their time and money. The change in American teenagers' video viewing habits was the most notable finding, Gizmodo reported.

YouTube Beats Netflix Among Gen Zs

The research showed US Teens watch 29.1% of YouTube videos every day, surpassing Netflix's 28.7% share. Since spring, YouTube has grown, while Netflix has declined by almost two percentage points.

The study listed YouTube and Netflix as the top two daily video sites, with Hulu third at 7 percent. Even though both Prime Video and Disney+ had some modest growth, they were still very tiny. In addition, compared to the spring, the poll revealed that teens watched less cable TV and used HBO Max and Hulu.

Piper Sandler analysts are unable to identify the reason behind this shift. They believe that young people may be gravitating toward YouTube as a result of the intensifying competition and changing content quality in the streaming sector. YouTube's content enhancements and changing viewing patterns may explain the behavior change.

Senior research analyst at Piper Sandler, Edward Yruma, noted that the study shows preliminary evidence of a decrease in US teen spending. "Our survey points to initial signs of a slowdown in teen spending. Inflation reached its highest mindshare in terms of political and social issues, right behind the environment," he noted, as quoted by Cybernews.

Rising inflation could be a factor in teenagers' video streaming platform preference. Many US teens use their parents' Netflix accounts, so if families cancel subscriptions to save money, they may find free streaming choices. While YouTube offers paid subscriptions, the Google-owned platform provides free content.

Snapchat's Popularity is Declining

Meanwhile, separate research reveals that Snapchat is becoming less popular among US teenagers.

According to Samaa, a recent study revealed a considerable change in social media preferences among American teens in addition to the change in video consumption behaviors, indicating Snapchat's declining popularity.

This study, which surveyed 203 adolescents in the US between the ages of 11 and 17, found some startling trends in teen internet behavior. The results provide insight into how teens' interactions with technology and social media are changing.

Teenagers now receive an astounding average of 237 daily alerts, with an unexpected majority happening during school hours, according to a startling finding from the survey. Constant alerts interfere with their daily activities and sleep routines, according to 49% of respondents. Additionally, 18% admitted that these messages were the main reason they stayed up.

Teenagers receive close to 5,000 alerts every day overall across all of their devices. This constant distraction hinders their day and academics, showing how much technology affects them.

The study brought attention to how these alerts have tremendous addictive potential since they cause chemical signals in youngsters' developing brains, indicating that there is a pressing need for responsible use of technology.

Notably, the survey discovered that YouTube and TikTok are now preferred platforms among youngsters, while Snapchat's appeal has declined. Particularly, 38% of daily usage was on TikTok, where many US students watched videos in between classes or while chatting. US teens also spent 18% of their time on YouTube, demonstrating the rise of video-based apps.

These findings point to a considerable shift away from social media sites like Instagram and Snapchat, which were previously regarded as the standard options. This trend shows how social media is transforming and how video-based apps are attracting more users, especially teens.