New research from Informa-owned consultancy Omdia shows TikTok and YouTube are the leading video platforms for 18-35 year-olds in the USA. These platforms have outpaced Instagram, Facebook, and Netflix, solidifying their dominance across the video landscape. Omdia’s intriguing finds come at a time when the long-term future for TikTok in the US still hangs in the balance.
Speaking at Content Americas 2025, Maria Rua Aguete, senior research director at Omdia, said TikTok surpassed 1.9 billion monthly active users (MAUs) globally in 2024, including 145 million MAUs in the USA. In terms of video revenues, TikTok led global rankings, amassing $63.3 billion (including China), nearly doubling YouTube’s global advertising revenue of $33.3 billion. Within the USA, TikTok’s ad revenues reached approximately $8 billion.
Rua Aguete highlighted significant audience overlap among platforms, revealing that 92% of TikTok users also engage with YouTube monthly, with 61% using YouTube daily. In comparison, Instagram Reels and Facebook Video attract 76% of TikTok users monthly, while daily usage stands at 50% for Instagram and 44% for Facebook. She noted, “Should a USA TikTok ban occur, it’s likely that millions of users would increase their engagement with YouTube and Meta platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, rather than switching to new apps. That said, new apps have certainly gained traction amidst discussions of a possible TikTok ban.”
Another emerging trend is the shift in viewing habits with TikTok, Facebook and Instagram usage remaining predominantly mobile-centric. By contrast, 52% of YouTube viewing in the USA now occurs on TVs, a figure that continues to rise as connected TV adoption grows.
