German parties in YouTube check
While the AfD is apparently succeeding in mobilizing the masses on YouTube, the channels of the ruling parties are eking out a shadowy existence on the world's biggest video platform. This is the result of a study by the German YouTube agency Klein aber.
In the first half of 2023, the AfD's two YouTube channels recorded 62.6 million views - an immense difference compared to the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, which together achieved not even one million clicks. Interaction is even more striking: per video, the AfD generates thousands of likes, comments and shares (AfD TV: average 2,700, AfD parliamentary group: 4,087), in contrast to the SPD with just 40 interactions. The political debate on the platform is dominated by the AfD with 97 percent of views, as the study by YouTube agency 'Klein aber' reveals. Given that YouTube is one of the most important social media platforms - with almost every person aged 14 to 29 (95 percent) and three out of four people aged 30 to 49 using it at least once a month - the weak performance of the other parties is surprising. Most parties don't seem to have a clear YouTube strategy, despite its enormous potential to reach the broad target audience and spread messages, Klein adds, however.
The results in detail:
With its two main channels and a combined 549,000 subscribers, the AfD has by far the largest reach (by comparison: CDU: 18,000, SPD: 22,000, Greens: 26,000). Since the beginning of the year, the AfD has gained 60,000 additional followers via its two channels. This puts the party in first place by a wide margin in the YouTube check.
Other parties lag far behind: An average of just under 1,000 views per video and minimal interactions (Greens: 16, CSU: 28, FDP: 0). CDU ranks second due to the weakness of the other parties. This is followed by SPD, Left, FDP, CSU and the Green channel with almost no growth or interaction.
Small but points to numerous reasons for the other parties' poor performance: Lack of custom thumbnails, engaging video titles, and consistent formats that encourage viewers to revisit the channel. This is reflected in low click-through and interaction rates. In addition, some parties publish only three videos per month (CSU and Greens), while the AfD relies on mass and uploads 120 videos.
Simon Kaiser, Managing Director of Klein aber, emphasizes: "German parties are not fulfilling their political claim on the world's largest video platform. The reasons for the poor performance are manifold: topics, regularity and presentation are not up to standard. Many channels act like video content ramps. Parties should communicate proactively and present their topics in a content-based manner."
About the study design: In the period from January to June 2023, the official YouTube channels of the largest German parties - measured by the election results of the last Bundestag election in 2021 - SPD, CDU, Greens, FDP, AfD and Die Linke were examined quantitatively and qualitatively. Metrics such as the growth in views and subscribers, interactions, regularity of uploads, graphic design and values that allow conclusions to be drawn about the quality and reception of the content were taken into account.
