Older viewers drive influencer boom as TikTok and YouTube go mainstream

Influencer content goes mainstream

Influencer content has firmly entered the mainstream, driven in part by rapid growth among older internet users in key markets such as the UK and US. New research from Ampere Analysis indicates that around 70% of UK internet users now engage with influencer material, underscoring how creator‑led video has become a standard part of everyday viewing. Platforms once seen as youth‑centric, particularly TikTok and YouTube, are now attracting sizable and increasingly active audiences across older age groups.

Growing engagement among older audiences

Older viewers are emerging as a major force behind this shift toward influencer content. Among people aged 55–64, weekly viewing of influencer videos has risen sharply since early 2020 in both the US and the UK. In the United States, the share of 55–64‑year‑olds watching influencer content at least once a week has climbed from the mid‑40s in percentage terms in 2020 to the mid‑50s by 2025, while in the UK the same age group has moved from roughly 30% to the high‑30s over a similar period.

TikTok and YouTube as mainstream platforms

TikTok and YouTube sit at the center of this mainstreaming of influencer culture. Ampere’s data points to these platforms as key drivers of growth in monthly active users, with YouTube in particular benefiting from a notable increase in viewing among people aged 55–64. YouTube has also reached an important milestone in the UK by becoming one of the most‑watched television platforms, indicating that it now competes directly with traditional broadcasters for living‑room viewing time.

Influencer video in the living room

A growing share of influencer content is now watched on large screens rather than just on mobile devices. Ampere notes that widespread adoption of connected TVs and streaming devices among older consumers is helping relocate social video from personal screens to the main household television. As a result, influencer videos are increasingly part of shared family viewing routines, sitting alongside films, series, and other long‑form content.

Blurring lines between social and traditional media

Analysts at Ampere highlight how the boundaries between social platforms, streaming services, and conventional TV are becoming less distinct. YouTube and TikTok now function both as discovery engines for short‑form clips and as destinations for full‑length shows and professionally produced content. This convergence is reshaping how audiences discover new series, personalities, and brands, as influencer channels increasingly sit next to established broadcasters and subscription services in viewers’ daily habits.

New opportunities for brands and platforms

The mainstreaming of influencer content among older viewers opens up fresh opportunities for advertisers, media companies, and creators. Brands that once targeted primarily younger demographics through creators can now reach multi‑generational audiences with campaigns tailored to diverse age groups. At the same time, platforms that succeed in serving both short‑form and long‑form influencer content are well positioned to capture more viewing time and ad spend across the entire household.

“The most striking aspect of the latest data is not only how popular influencer videos have become, but how quickly this habit has spread among older viewers,” an Ampere research manager observed, noting that collaborative opportunities between influencers and streaming services are expanding and now resonate strongly with older demographics as well.

Author’s summary

Older adults are rapidly embracing influencer videos on TikTok and YouTube, turning creator content into a truly mainstream, living‑room viewing habit that attracts multi‑generational audiences and fresh brand investment.

Broadband TV News — 2025-12-01