40 YouTube stats marketers need to know in 2026
Think you know YouTube? The numbers might surprise you. Here are 40 YouTube stats that matter most in 2026, and what they mean for your brand. Key takeaways YouTube reaches every generation. The largest age group is 25–34, but use is strong across ages, ethnicities, and education levels. YouTube Shorts is the platform’s fastest-growing surface. Shorts now average over 200 billion daily views, and the most-liked video on the entire platform is a Short. YouTube is a top-ROI marketing platform. 69% of companies use it for marketing, and 42% of marketers expect it to be a top-ROI platform in 2026 (just behind Instagram and Facebook). Shoppers are on YouTube. Viewers watched over 35 billion hours of shopping-related content last year. YouTube dominates streaming watch time. In the U.S., it’s held the #1 spot for nearly three years. General YouTube stats Harness the power of YouTube’s global network with these stats. ...
