The just-released U.S. Media Morph: 2024 Trend Report from YouGov is packed with interesting information about the evolving media landscape.
Perhaps the biggest transformation is that online is now the primary advertising channel in the U.S. Online, which includes apps, social networks, websites, etc., was named the top consumption channel by 28% of respondents, beating TV, which came in second at 22%.
Social media was the “Main online advertising medium that grabs your attention,” but online video and streaming/on-demand registered the highest growth.
Of course, younger Americans are more dependent on social media, with 57% of 18 to 24 year-olds and 60% of 25-34 year-olds saying they visited social media sites, while 66% of those aged 35-44, 75% ages 45-54 and 83% of those 55 and older named TV as their top media channel.
And social media is not just for networking. Consumers are also playing games, “using social media mainly for the entertainment and news content,” and primarily listening to music through streaming services.”
Media habits are shifting, even among older Americans. All generations agreed they preferred reading news content online instead of in printed newspapers” and that “streaming services have changed TV watching” for them.
Consumers aged 18 to 44 admit to spending 6 to 20 hours a week online, while those aged 45 to 55+ say they’re online less than 5 hours a week (which just doesn’t seem possible to me).
The most popular social channels are:
- Facebook—68%
- YouTube—51%
- Instagram—45%
- X (formerly Twitter)—29%
- TikTok—26%
- Snapchat—20%
- Pinterest—19%
- LinkedIn—16%
- Reddit—14%
The most popular streaming services are:
- Netflix—51%
- YouTube—46%
- Amazon Prime Video—36%
- Hulu—32%
- Disney+—27%
- Peacock—20%
The fastest-growing channels are YouTube and Peacock.
If you’re wondering where to place your ads, 40% of all consumers say they’re “more likely to engage with ads on social media than on regular websites.” This is especially true for consumers aged 18 to 34 (59% admitted to this). And 59% of them, 48% of those aged 35-49, and about one-third of those aged 50 and older say that “advertising helps them choose what to buy.”
Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a media and custom content company focusing on small business and entrepreneurship. Email Rieva at rieva@
Social media stock image by mama_mia/Shutterstock
