Bringing YouTube into the AV fold matters for planners
Opinion
Barb’s foray into YouTube channel analysis has put the industry on the right path and there are further developments we could benefit from.
Although it’s become a central part of the TV viewing experience, YouTube has awkwardly sat mostly outside standard AV frameworks.
Some advertising decisions could be based on insights about how much audiences engage with the platform, which Ofcom data shows is more than any other UK service or broadcaster except the BBC.
Further granularity, however, was always lacking.
Now Barb is moving to address that problem. The joint industry currency (JIC) is reporting TV-set viewing covering 200 of the most-watched YouTube channels. This is a development that matters to almost every media professional.
For the first time, planners and buyers will be able to finally understand the role YouTube plays in the TV ecosystem, using consistent definitions and independent methodologies instead of proxies and guesswork.
Put simply, this is a key step towards full-spectrum AV accountability that represents an important — though imperfect — shift.
A clearer view of YouTube on TV
YouTube’s scope to offer incremental reach within TV environments keeps growing. Supported by Barb data, Ofcom’s latest breakdown finds that overall viewing on TV sets has doubled in the past two years, rising to an average of 18 minutes per day.
(While this growth is notable, it must be seen in context: the overwhelming majority of TV-set viewing is still linear TV and broadcaster VOD. In fact, linear TV remains the most far-reaching medium in the UK, delivering mass audiences with unmatched effectiveness.)
YouTube’s growth runs across consumers of every age, with sharp increases recorded among the 55-plus group, while 20% of children aged 4–15 head straight to YouTube when they switch on the TV.
Yet, until now, it hasn’t been easy to quantify YouTube’s exact place in a broadcast plan. Measurement was fragmented and, without channel-level data, AV planners had no robust way to directly compare what was being watched on YouTube versus ITV or Channel 4.
Instead, they have typically had to reconcile platform data with panel data, leaving them in a world of “directional” insight at best.
Barb’s move makes it possible to evaluate YouTube and TV using the same yardstick. The huge significance of being able to achieve independent, apples-to-apples measurement can’t be overstated.
It finally allows us to assess the value of each part of the AV ecosystem on the same terms, so that plans can be based on a consistent picture of comparative performance between YouTube and other environments to an extent.
On top of this, it provides in-depth weekly insights to enable smart assessment and adjustment, including channel-specific viewing times and audience profiles.
Agencies welcome Barb’s YouTube measurement but emphasise need for development
Reality-checking data limitations
Before we run away with the possibilities, it’s crucial to note that there are caveats. Probably the biggest of which is that data only captures TV set viewing. This means no smartphones, no tablets, no laptops and certainly no out-of-home viewing.
So while Barb can measure aggregate YouTube viewing across all in-home devices included in its panel, channel-level reporting is big screen only. For a platform built on mobile-first behaviours and often consumed outside the home, that’s a meaningful limitation, especially when we consider that data covers only a select group of 200 channels.
None of these constraints, however, undermines what Barb can offer. TV screens remain the largest single source of YouTube viewing in UK homes, especially among families and co-viewing groups, so having a reliable lens on a growing part of total video is extremely valuable.
The point is that we need to be aware of where the boundaries are and what can or can’t be done — at least in the near term.
From measurement to activation
The timing is not without irony. Just as Barb extends its remit to include YouTube channels, Google has resigned as a Barb member. That creates a tricky tension for the industry and for agencies that work with both sides. But it also underlines the importance of independent measurement.
As an impartial organisation, Barb can continue to run and refine its measurement, regardless of platform participation. That’s good for advertisers that want ever-improving access to strong TV data.
It could also turn out well for YouTube, if Google wants YouTube to be taken seriously alongside traditional broadcasters and streamers.
The next step is to make this data useful in real-world planning. For instance, inclusion in tools like Barb’s Advanced Campaign Hub will allow for useful scenario planning of AV campaigns with YouTube channel data built in, helping to guide insight-based adspend choices in line with desired outcomes.
Similarly, integration into CFlight could support deduplicated reach measurement that accurately tracks campaign exposure across linear, broadcaster VOD and YouTube. In the future, Barb Panel Plus, with its potential for more granular, cross-device insights, could lead to even deeper levels of evaluation sophistication.
While Barb’s foray into YouTube channel analysis may only be the beginning of a journey, what ultimately matters is that this venture has put the industry on the right path.
Amid increasing fragmentation across the video and TV landscape, any advance able to bring clarity, comparability and accountability is welcome — especially if there is plenty of room for much greater clarity and range as the approach develops.
Jon Manning is director of advanced TV at Medialab