YouTube study by Webrepublic and GfK: Reach does not guarantee impact

YouTube is no longer a niche portal, but a central pillar of the Swiss video landscape. But how is the platform actually used? A new study by Webrepublic in collaboration with GfK provides detailed insights into usage motives, timing and the quality of advertising contacts in German-speaking Switzerland. User surveys and findings from operational campaign work are combined to gain insights.

While YouTube scores with almost unlimited advertising space and impressive reach, it is important to bear this in mind: Reach alone is no guarantee of advertising success. The decisive factor is the quality of contact. The study contributes to the investigation of the conditions under which an impression becomes a real advertising impact.

Focus is the key to success

A key finding of the study is the importance of usage motives. Advertising primarily has an impact where users consume content in a focused manner - for example, to learn something new or to delve deeper into a topic. In contrast, "unfocused" contacts, where YouTube is merely used as background entertainment, have a significantly lower impact.

"YouTube is not just YouTube", the authors of the study conclude. It is therefore essential for advertisers to target those channels and environments in which a focused consumption of content is expected.

High usage duration and young audience

On average, Swiss people spend 41 minutes on the platform on weekdays and as much as 50 minutes at weekends. The age group of 15 to 34-year-olds has the highest intensity, while usage decreases significantly with increasing age. Both during the week and at weekends, the afternoon is the time with the highest usage.

Success on YouTube is based on a balanced mix of reach and inventory quality across different devices. In the end, it's the content that counts for users, not the device.

The complete study is available here.