Q&A with Karen Zuccala: Connected TV's watch time surges, plus how to reach this audience

In an era dominated by content consumption, YouTube continues to transform the media landscape and capture the attention of audiences across the globe.

Now, as YouTube reveals its latest watch time numbers and viewership trends in Canada, it appears a fascinating shift is on the horizon. The waning popularity of traditional tv is being juxtaposed with the rise of YouTube viewership on the big screen.

We’re talking about Connected TV.

As Canadians continue to open their minds to the convenience and versatility of streaming, YouTube's presence in living rooms is surging to new heights. Here’s what Karen Zuccala, Head of Brand Strategy at YouTube Canada had to say about it.

Q. YouTube reaches 98% of Canadians – which is almost the entire country. What is it about YouTube that’s capturing the attention of Canadians? And is this breaking news or has YouTube had this reach since its inception?

YouTube has long been the most-watched ad-supported video platform in Canada and now we’re at the point where we’re reaching almost every Canadian in the country. According to Comscore, YouTube reaches 98% of Canadians across all audiences, making it the #1 ad-supported video platform in Canada.

A lot of that has to do with the amazing creators and the wide array of content available on the platform. YouTube’s creators are proven hitmakers – this generation’s directors, producers, and talent. These diverse storytellers are the lifeblood of YouTube. And they’re uniquely able to deliver on what people care about at any moment in time, because they have a direct and real-time feedback loop with fans. And because of that, creators are able to build these passionate fan bases that fuel viewership.

There’s creators like The Sorry Girls who started doing DIYs on YouTube, and quickly found a growing global audience. More than a decade later, The Sorry Girls have evolved their series to elevated production projects, doing large-scale design projects and renovations, while continuing to focus on sustainability, education, and empowerment. There’s also creators like Adanna Madueke who moved from Nigeria to Edmonton and recognized a lack of representation for styling natural hair types, especially among Black women, and knew she could fill the gap. She posts vlogs, hair and makeup tutorials and more, and is using her platform to create a safe space for people to feel seen and included with her growing audience. All this growth and diverse content in Canada’s creator ecosystem creates tons of opportunities for advertisers to reach an engaged audience.

Q. Are there specific content verticals or types of content that are really standing out lately on the platform

YouTube has always been the go-to home for the biggest, most culturally relevant moments. For example, in its first week on YouTube, viewership of the NFL's video of Rihanna's Super Bowl Halftime Show totaled more than 8.5 million hours. That's the equivalent of watching Avengers: Endgame over 2 million times.

Viewers come to YouTube for big events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, Coachella and the Juno Awards, but it’s the ability for viewers to go deeper into their interests and passions is what really makes the YouTube experience special.

During the first three weeks after Wednesday's debut on Netflix, there were more than 1.4 billion views of videos related to Wednesday on YouTube. Whether it’s a teaser or trailer leading up to a summer blockbuster release, behind-the-scenes music festival content or a playoff post-game recap, viewers can have the keys to everything they love in one place.

Q. YouTube recently mentioned the rise in viewership happening on TVs, through Connected TV. Can you tell us a little bit about how this rising trend of Connected TV has grown?
While traditional TV watchtime is declining, we’re seeing the opposite trend playing out on YouTube. Canadians are streaming YouTube on their TV screen more than ever with the rise of Connected TV.

In Canada, over 17M people stream YouTube on their TV. More and more, Canadians are choosing to view YouTube on their ‘big screen’ in the living room. In fact, Connected TV has been the fastest growing platform for YouTube for the last 5 years. With YouTube on Connected TV, brands can have the best of both worlds: the big screen impact of TV with the precision and control of digital, allowing advertisers to drive better results.

Q. We understand that more and more people are tuning into YouTube on their TVs, but is that changing the type of content they’re watching?

The way we engage with content on our phones and computers is different from the way we engage with content on the big screen. As an example, in Canada over 60% of YouTube Connected TV watchtime is on content that is 21 min or longer, meaning Canadians are watching longer videos on their TV. Additionally, 64% of YouTube Connected TV viewers are watching with others, or co-viewing, something they traditionally wouldn’t do on mobile.

These viewing trends tell us that Canadians are not only delving deeper into their interests, they are also sharing these experiences with friends, loved ones or online communities who have a similar interest in that content.

Q. So if advertisers want to tap into this audience who are viewing YouTube on the big screen - how can they do it and will it cost more than traditional TV advertising?

We know brands want to reach their audiences on the big screen. And we have solutions that can help them find hard to reach audiences through top content on their biggest screen.

Brands can reach customers they can’t find anywhere else, with solutions like YouTube Select lineups, inclusive of the most popular content watched on the TV from top creators, live sports, shows and music.

To help brands show up during big moments like a new movie release or a product launch, we recently launched a Cost-Per-Hour Masthead. This new way to buy YouTube’s most prominent placement gives advertisers exclusive ownership of the Masthead during the hour(s) leading up to, during or after priority moments. For advertisers looking to drive online sales and leads on the TV screen, there’s also Video Action Campaigns. When a viewer sees a Video Action Campaign on their TV, they are invited through a URL at the bottom of their screen to continue shopping on the brand’s website from their desktop or mobile device — without interrupting their viewing.

We’re also bringing 30 second non-skips to YouTube Select on CTV. We know that running longer-form creative on the big screen aligns with advertiser objectives, and allows for richer storytelling. This format seamlessly fits into what viewers already expect and experience on the big screen.

In a time of multiple screens and countless ways to stay entertained, it can be challenging to get your audience’s attention. YouTube is the only platform that gives viewers the keys to everything they love in one place. Whether the content is long, short, mainstream, or personal, YouTube is the one place where people watch it all. And these are key opportunities to connect with a brand.