Parks Associates’ Tracker service identifies dominance of YouTube, role of content creators in driving social video consumption among younger audiences
Parks Associates’ latest research from its Streaming Video Tracker examines the impact of creator-driven media on the video ecosystem and the importance of social video for streaming services looking to capture these millions of viewers. The research reveals platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch are now central to consumers’ TV experiences, creating new opportunities for studios, streamers, and brands to reach new audiences.
TIME Magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Creators 2025 list features digital leaders such as Kai Cenat, MrBeast, Alix Earle, Khaby Lame, and Alex Cooper, who attract millions of viewers and have growing influence in media with their own multimillion-dollar content enterprises.
Key Findings from Parks Associates Research:
- Social Video on the Big Screen: Parks Associates data shows social video now accounts for 4.9 hours per week of TV viewing — 20% of all video consumed on the television — surpassing time spent watching pay TV or broadcast video.
- Generational Shift: Among consumers ages 18–34, social video nearly matches SVOD viewing on TVs and exceeds SVOD on mobile devices, with 40% watching more than 15 hours per week.
- YouTube’s Dominance: YouTube is the top social video site and the most popular streaming pay-TV service, with approximately 9.3 million US subscribers to YouTube TV. Its Shorts platform is emerging as a cross-device driver of creator engagement.
- Streaming Crossovers: High-profile deals — such as MrBeast’s $100 million partnership with Amazon MGM Studios and Tubi’s 2025 launch of “Tubi for Creators” — reflect the growing integration of creator-led content into mainstream streaming catalogs.
“As the streaming market matures, consolidation and aggregation are reshaping the competitive landscape,” said Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO, Parks Associates. “Platforms are bundling creator-led, studio, and niche content into unified experiences to keep viewers engaged across formats.”
Parks Associates will host the Future of Video session “Consolidation & Aggregation: Transformation of Streaming Services & Technologies” on August 21, 12-1:30 PM CT. Future of Video is sponsored by InterDigital and TiVo. This session explores the strategic mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and technologies defining this trend, along with their implications for market players.
- JP Abello, Director of Product Management - Strategic Planning & Development, Comcast
- Josh Arensberg, CTO, Media & Entertainment, Verizon Business
- Scott Maddux, VP, Content Strategy and Business Development, TiVo
- Liz Riemersma, VP Strategy, Business Development & International, Sling TV
The virtual session will feature research from the Tracker service and Parks Associates’ most recent Video Services Dashboard, which illustrates recent shifts in viewer preferences and habits. The Dashboard is available for purchase and part of Parks Associates’ research membership offerings.
About Parks Associates
Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.
The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.
Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com
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About Future of Video: Business of Streaming
Future of Video brings together senior leaders to share insights on new trends in the video and connected entertainment industries, with insights on consumer adoption, churn, and spending. The event provides insight into successful OTT strategy deployments, challenges for pay-TV providers, the role of connected CE in the growth of video viewing, new content formats, and the overall impact to the video market.
Parks Associates will host the Future of Video session “Consolidation & Aggregation: Transformation of Streaming Services & Technologies” on August 21, 12-1:30 PM CT.
Parks Associates will host Future of Video 2025 at the Marina del Ray Marriott, Tues, Nov 18 – Thurs, Nov 20. www.futureofvideo.us
