YouTube users not anti-social couch potatoes, according to survey
The survey also shows that 91% of respondents use YouTube for entertainment, 69% use it to learn or keep up to date and 53% use it for social purposes or sharing with friends.
According to the survey — the results of which were revealed yesterday at the DMX Dublin event — the most popular videos watched in Ireland are music videos — viewed by 67% of respondents, comedy, watched by 52% of respondents and How-to/DIY clips, popular with 42% of people questioned. Figures released in December showed the most popular YouTube clip in Ireland last year was music video What Does the Fox Say?, ahead of Cork company Sminky Shorts’ Elephant clip.
Genres such as gaming, fashion and beauty, and sporting events are down the list at around the 20% mark.
However, the lure of screens is never far away — 65% of Irish users now say that TV is on in background while other devices are used as the first screen. YouTube itself has an 81% reach in Ireland.
Youtube users are also more active consumers than non-users, according to Ruth McEntee, YouTube industry manager, Google Ireland.
“Irish YouTube users are nearly three times more likely to buy or download digital music, movies or books; three times more likely to buy electronics, gadgets or other devices and are nearly twice as likely to buy apps for their smartphone or tablet,” she said.
It seems the classic image of the couch potato YouTuber is also wrong. According to the survey, users of the site are twice as likely to go to the cinema, nearly three times more likely to attend live events and 1.3 times more likely to eat in restaurants than non-users.
The site is equally popular with women and men, while 44% of users are aged 35 or over. According to the survey, 40% of respondents visit the site every day, while 77% visit the site weekly.
When it comes to sharing their views on products, YouTube users also tend to be more voluble. They are twice as likely to be the first to try new products, almost twice as likely to rate products, services or restaurants online, and 1.2 times more likely to tell others about brands they prefer. They also actively share those views, with 63% of Irish users regularly talking about what they saw on the site.
The survey was carried out in a number of different countries and the Irish results show users here are at least 20% more likely to share links or talk about what they’ve seen on YouTube with their friends than YouTube users in Britain.
The survey of more than 1,000 internet users was conducted on behalf of Google by Ipsos Media.
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