Streaming advertising dollars continue to flow with YouTube winning the race. According to a new survery, marketers are putting more money into streaming TV with YouTube sitting atop the pecking order.
What We Know: DoubleVerify’s 2026 Global Insights report reveals a clear spending surge across premium streaming platforms. Surveying more than 2,000 marketers and 22,000 consumers across more than 20 global markets, the findings are significant. YouTube led all platforms, with 70% of marketers increasing investment there. Netflix (65%), Amazon Prime (59%), and Samsung streaming environments (48%) also saw notable gains. YouTube’s dominance reflects its status as a destination spanning nearly every media vertical — sports, news, entertainment, podcasts, and beyond.
What They Said: Collette Spagnolo, vice president of marketing, integrated marketing & analytics at DoubleVerify: “Globally, streaming TV has become a core part of the modern media mix. Marketers are recognizing the value of platforms where consumers are spending more of their viewing time, particularly environments that can deliver both scale and measurable business outcomes.”
What Remains Unclear: The report doesn’t break down how budgets are shifting away from linear TV in any fashion. Additionally, it’s uncertain whether YouTube’s lead reflects brand preference or simply its unmatched scale across content categories. Furthermore, how smaller streaming platforms compete for remaining ad dollars remains an open question.
What It Means: Streaming is no longer a test budget for advertisers — it’s a primary one. Advertisers are chasing fragmented audiences onto connected television platforms where performance is measurable, audience is shifting, and engagement is high. Consequently, platforms that can prove ROI will continue attracting the lion’s share of investment from these advertisers.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
