• YouTube has become Pakistan’s most popular online video platform.
• 62 per cent of online Pakistanis aged between 18-24 report watching YouTube once a month or more.
• Google and Kantar’s Unlocking Digital in Rural Pakistan research were shown at Pakistan’s first-ever YouTube Brandcast.

KARACHI: YouTube has become Pakistan’s most popular online video platform as 62 per cent of online Pakistanis aged between 18 to 24 years reported watching YouTube once a month or more, a statement said.

The statistics by Google and Kantar’s Unlocking Digital in Rural Pakistan research were shown at Pakistan’s first-ever YouTube Brandcast hosted by YouTube to celebrate its creator community, and to share the latest insights, updates, and inspiration from brands succeeding on the platform.

Google Country Director of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh Farhan S Qureshi said that YouTube is about making connections and finding a community you can call home.

“It is where viewers come to learn, unwind, and connect with their passions. The platform empowers people by not only giving them a voice but also financial stability. Since the platform resonates well with people of all ages and from all areas, it is no wonder that YouTube creates deep connections between brands, creators, and audiences in urban and rural areas of Pakistan,” he added.

According to the research, out of all Pakistani internet users, 91 per cent say YouTube makes them feel positive, 78 per cent consider YouTube to watch their favourite shows and content, 76 per cent learned something new from YouTube, 75 per cent claim that content on YouTube helped them dig deeper into their interests and 73 per cent get the video content for all their moods on the platform.

The study also found that 48 per cent of rural Pakistanis are now online, of which 78 per cent watch YouTube. Of those that watched YouTube, 76 per cent say that the online platform has unique content they cannot find anywhere else.

The total hours of content uploaded to YouTube by channels in Pakistan grew by over 25 per cent from June 2021 to May 2022, compared with the same time of the last year. YouTube’s multi-format creativity gives creators every screen and every format possible to succeed.

YouTube Partner Development and Management (APAC) Director Marc Lefkowitz said that YouTube creators develop diverse content for podcasts, sketches, automobile reviews, tech reviews, tutorials, gaming, and more.

“There are more than 5,400 YouTube channels with more than 100,000 subscribers. That is an increase of 35 per cent over the last year. More than 350 of these channels have more than a million subscribers,” he added.

The platform intends to continue to extend its support to Pakistani creators so they can pursue their passions and build careers in a responsible manner, he remarked.

During the event, YouTube also spotlighted how the platform is supporting the Pakistani creator ecosystem by building a reliable, multi-format platform that enables creators to build local and global communities that meet the evolving needs of their audiences.

The online platform believes creators are the heart of YouTube who are helping build genuine connections by delivering personally engaging content.

The watch time of videos grew significantly during the first quarter of 2022, compared with the same period of last year. Digital marketing videos grew by over 95 per cent, web development videos increased 90 per cent, exercise videos showed a growth of over 80 per cent and live television videos grew by over eight times.

The growth in content uploaded to YouTube includes short-form videos via YouTube Shorts which was launched in July of the previous year.

Globally, YouTube Shorts is now averaging 30 billion daily views, growing four times from a year ago. Shorts has been hugely successful in Pakistan as well, a testament to Pakistanis’ evolving preferences in how they choose to consume content.

The number of YouTube channels making Rs1 million or more in revenue is up over 110 per cent year-on-year as of June 2021.

YouTube has proven to be an effective medium for communication across the languages of Pashto, Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi, or Urdu, enabling everyday Pakistanis to turn their passion into full-time careers.

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