The rise of connected TV (CTV) has changed the very meaning of television. It’s no longer about a specific type of content, but rather the screen on which it is consumed. As one of the largest video-sharing platforms in the world, YouTube is at the centre of the living room revolution, helping advertisers reach their audiences across channels — including the big screen. 

Reaching 98% of Canadians, YouTube is the country’s number one ad-supported video platform, according to Comscore. And for the last five years, CTV has been the online giant’s fastest-growing channel — around 17 million Canadians watch YouTube content via CTV per month. For advertisers, “if you’re not buying YouTube on connected TV, you’re not buying connected TV,” says Karen Zuccala, head of brand strategy at YouTube Canada. 

There are several reasons more Canadians are streaming content from their TV screens. Viewership patterns and consumer preferences are shifting as people opt for on-demand and personalised content experiences. CTV meets this growing need, directly putting consumers in the driver’s seat to “watch what they want, when they want to watch it,” Zuccala says. 

The volume, variety and quality of content available on YouTube has also contributed to its rapid growth on CTV. The platform hosts content that caters to every interest and demographic and delivers it through a mix of short- and long-form videos. Sports, music and cultural touchstones like the Super Bowl and World Cup have driven many of the content trends on YouTube, Zuccala says. “But Canadians like to go deep on behind-the-scenes content across a wide range of interests. It’s not just ‘the big event’ anymore.” 

YouTube Shorts, the company’s mobile-first video platform, launched in Canada in 2021 and was added to YouTube’s CTV app the following year. The platform is now averaging over 70 billion daily views, and the average daily views of YouTube Shorts grew by over 150% year-on-year in Canada. YouTube has made ads available for Shorts, including fully immersive vertical video ads that appear between organic content. 

Still, long-form video remains a big draw. In Canada, over 60% of YouTube CTV watch time is on content that’s 21 minutes or longer. “That dovetails with another interesting trend, [which is] co-viewing,” Zuccala says. “Sixty-four percent of YouTube’s connected TV viewers are watching with family and friends.”

To help brands reach its growing CTV audience, YouTube has launched new ad products and enhanced existing ones. YouTube Select — an evolution of the Google Preferred premium ad program — features packages called “lineups” that help advertisers identify the most popular and relevant content for their brands across a number of categories. 

Cost-Per-Hour Masthead, a new offering, helps brands capitalize on big moments like a movie release or product launch, giving them exclusive visibility on YouTube’s Home feed in the hours leading up to, during or after the events. 

Finally, YouTube’s Display and Video 360 (DV360) platform provides access to third-party publishers, in addition to exclusive access to YouTube. “If you’re a client or an advertiser, DV360 brings all of your media into one place — one platform, in this instance,” Zuccala explains. “It can help with frequency management and leads to more efficient buys.” 

Through its CTV solutions, YouTube is making it easier for advertisers to reach their target audiences. “YouTube is the only platform that gives viewers the keys to everything they love all in one place — whether it’s long-form or short-form content,” Zuccala says. “That offers a lot of opportunities for brands to connect with consumers.” 

YouTube CTV offers the “big-screen impact of TV with the precision and the control of digital,” she says. Advertisers can drive better results and “realize the full impact of their media spend in one place.” 

Marketers who are new to CTV should not be afraid to experiment with the channel, Zuccala advises. “Test, test and test again. Connected TV is not going away. It’s important for marketers to lean into innovation, and to be willing to embrace change and disruption in a medium that hasn’t changed in decades.”

Visit Think With Google for the latest trends, consumer insights and case studies from Google Canada.