YouTube research has found that 65% of Gen Z, which the company defines as 14-24 year olds, describe themselves as video content creators, putting them in the minority as bystanders. The findings come from responses from 350 US Gen Z members as part of a broader survey that asked thousands of people about how they spend their time online and whether they consider themselves video creators. YouTube conducted the survey in partnership with research firm SmithGeiger as part of its annual report on trends on the platform.
After watching videos online, many Gen Zers respond with their own videos, including their own commentary, reaction videos and deep dives into content posted by others, according to the YouTube report. This interaction is common in response to pop culture-themed videos such as “RuPaul's Drag Race” and the video game series “Fallout.” Fan-created content can have longer watch times than the original material, the report said.
“It's inspiring to watch Gen Z evolve their fandom,” Kevin Allocca, YouTube's director of global culture and trends, said in a statement. “They're actively shifting audience behavior from passive viewing to finding their own content 'conversation' and adding their opinion.”
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The popularity of short videos on TikTok is a new In a more participatory era of the internet, the app has given the younger generation access to easy-to-use mobile video editing tools, allowing even amateurs to create compelling video content. TikTok's duet and stitch features allow users to easily react and respond to other videos, encouraging potential users to become content creators themselves.
YouTube and Instagram have responded by launching their own short-form video competitors, as well as new editing tools that let users quickly find and add audio tracks to clips, for example. YouTube Shorts launched in 2021, and the company says content on the service has garnered trillions of views collectively. It has spawned cultural phenomenon like “Skibbledy Toilet,” a mind-bending animated series that has racked up billions of views in short videos.
Late last year, Pew Research Center reported that YouTube and TikTok are the most popular social media services among U.S. youth, based on a survey of 1,453 teens ages 13 to 17. YouTube is the most used overall, but both have dedicated fanbases. Pew found that 16% of young people use YouTube “almost always,” and 17% said the same about TikTok.
“Video is now the language of the internet,” says Brendan Gahan, co-founder and CEO of influencer marketing agency Creator Authority. The format has dominated social media consumption in recent years, and now, with shorter forms and sophisticated editing tools, more consumers are adopting that common language. “It's like having a production studio in the palm of your hand,” Gahan says.
But Gahan added that as more creators turn to social media, competition for viewers is likely to intensify. “Being a creator is the most coveted job for Gen Z right now, and the barrier to entry is very low,” he said. “The competition for viewers is going to get more intense.”
Jasmine Engberg, principal social media analyst at research and analytics firm eMarketer, said the YouTube data is consistent with a trend she's seeing online: Marketers have taken notice and are increasingly trying to inject commercial messaging into the user-generated video comments and conversations that are forming online.
Enberg said this is causing some young people to trust online content less and rely more on information, recommendations and commentary from their Gen Z peers. “There's a lack of trust in some traditional media sources,” he said. “They're relying on people who are like them to help them understand and analyze the things they're seeing in the news, in society, in pop culture and in entertainment.”
