Hundreds of Canada’s top advertisers and agencies joined us last night for Pulse, our annual event showcasing the best of YouTube. With a little help from special guests George Stroumboulopoulos and YouTube Creator Laura Vitale, a packed lineup of musical talent and a special hello from James Corden, we put the spotlight on the massive Canadian audience and what’s next for YouTube.
The big headline from the night is that everyone is watching YouTube. Across all ages, across all regions, across all walks of life - YouTube is where Canada turns for video content.
The way we’re watching video is also rapidly changing. The number of hours Canadians spent watching YouTube daily on mobile & tablet is up 60% YoY between 2014 and 2015.1 As viewers, we love the power of video no matter which screen we’re watching on. We’re watching frequently too. Our research found that 75% of daily Canadian users visit YouTube several times a day!2
Here are some of the top moments from YouTube Pulse 2016 that hint at where YouTube is going next in Canada:
Canada’s Newest YouTube Creator
“I want to be where interesting people are doing interesting things, and that’s on YouTube.” Those were George Stroumboulopoulos’ words as he announced a new career path as YouTube creator. Through his channel The Strombo Show, one of Canada’s most beloved media personalities is literally opening the door to his home to invite in music fans and artists for intimate jam sessions hosted in his own living room. George is investing in The Strombo Show Sessions, growing his YouTube channel and building a community of music fans online and offline. It’ll be a must-see for any music lover and we know that 77% of Canadian music fans turn to YouTube3 making it a great home for George’s next musical adventure.
George Stroumboulopoulos on stage at Pulse announcing his YouTube channel. Strombo declared that his “favourite music channel in the world is YouTube.” Canadian data suggests he’s not alone.
YouTube is for every passion, every skill level and everyone
After putting her seal of approval on the evening’s menu, Laura Vitale joined us to talk about her relationship with her audience. Laura’s viewers span across ages, locations and cooking skill levels, yet they keep coming back to her recipe videos and authentic approach. Whether you’re a foodie or a beginner, food is a huge category on YouTube and 65% of Canadians say they’ve watched videos about food or drink how-tos.4 Bringing together fans and creators to build communities around their passions is one of the most magical parts of YouTube.
Laura Vitale of Laura in the Kitchen welcomes contestants for an on-stage cooking challenge. Laura describes her fans as her “extended family”, underscoring the deep connection that YouTube creators develop with their audience.
For marketers looking for tips on how to amplify their success on YouTube, visit Think With Google for the top takeaways for advertisers from YouTube Pulse.
Posted by Sam Sebastian, Managing Director, Google Canada
1 YouTube Internal Data, Canada, Jan-Dec 2015 over Jan-Dec 2014
2 Google TNS YouTube Audience Profiling Study, Canada, June 2016 n=442
3 Google/Ipsos, Human Stories Canada, June 2016 n=1690 (music viewers)
4 Google/Ipsos, Food, Drink and Grocery Study, April 2016, online Canadians 18+, n=2,161
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