TikTok has overtaken Netflix as the second most popular video service in the United States among under 35s, according to research from Omdia. Only YouTube stands in the way of TikTok claiming the top spot. For those over 35, however, the app falls to sixth place, with even the BBC being in front of it.
In the United Kingdom and France, TikTok is in fifth place among under 35s, but doesn’t even appear in the top ten for those over 35. Commenting on the popularity of TikTok among younger users, Omdia Senior Director Maria Rua Aguete said:
“For broadcasters, commercial or otherwise keen to engage younger viewers, the increasing importance of TikTok to reach and grow new audiences should not be understated.”
Aside from overtaking Netflix, TikTok saw a large jump in the amount of time people use the app. It said that in 2021, the amount of minutes spent on the app rose from 6.4 minutes to 18.1 minutes. Facebook led in 2021 in terms of average viewing time, recording 18.7 minutes on average across the nine countries surveyed. Omdia said that TikTok was likely to overtake Facebook in 2022, but that the latter is fighting back.
Facebook globally launched Reels in February 2022, it"s short form video content that appears within people’s feeds. It hopes that these Reels can stem the outflow of younger users who have been moving to TikTok for their content.