Launched in 2016, the YouTube Kids platform aimed at children offers age-appropriate content, as well as many features for concerned parents... But competition from other platforms and the rise of Youtubers that began a decade ago have changed the course of this expected success.
Youtube Kids, an application designed for families
The interface is easy to use, allowing the child to choose what to watch via a simple tab system. The programs are suggested according to the profile completed by the child: age, interests, favorite activities, etc. The young public can find their favorite programs such as " Peppa Pig ", "The Voice Kids" or "C'est Pas Sorcier". Listening to music, learning while having fun and discovering the world far from the nuisances of the "adult" Internet, a great project to develop the autonomy and empowerment of the child! To reassure parents, a strict parental control (control of programs and viewing time) is possible, easily managed via a dashboard.
Competition and flaws: reasons for a medium-term flop
Google understands that children are ultra-connected because the number of screens in the home has doubled from 5 to 10 (1). YouTube Kids was conceived as an effective way to retain children's loyalty from an early age and to win the sympathy of parents by offering cartoons that everyone can enjoy. However, competing platforms such as Netflix or Hulu offered and still offer a section for children ... Moreover, the algorithm of YouTube is not infallible, some offensive videos have fallen through the cracks of censorship (2) and landed on the screens of children and toddlers, creating a strong sense of discomfort and embarrassment in families.
Children's attention focused on Youtubers, undisputed influencers
Bien que les enfants aient déserté Youtube Kids, Youtube reste malgré tout leur plateforme préférée de streaming vidéo (3), et un enfant sur quatre suit un influenceur au quotidien (4). Cette appétence pour les vidéos sur Internet s’explique par le fait que ces nouvelles générations sont nées avec l’émergence des outils digitaux et les maîtrisent donc de manière intuitive (5). Via les YouTubeurs, ils trouvent des thématiques qui leur plaisent et qu’ils ne peuvent pas trouver à la télévision comme des contenus humoristiques exclusifs, des tutoriels ou encore des unboxings…
Les Youtubeuses beauté jouent un rôle de grande sœur tandis que les geeks peuvent trouver une multitude de chaînes dédiées aux jeux vidéo. Les Youtubeurs jouent notamment sur un effet de rendez-vous en publiant leurs nouvelles vidéos au même jour chaque semaine, un moyen efficace de fidéliser les jeunes abonnés. Ces formats courts font partie intégrante de la culture des enfants qui discutent de leurs vidéos préférées dans la cour de récré !
Com' des Enfants helps brands to better understand the young public and their parents through ethical influencer marketing actions.
Sources: (1) Mediamétrie, 2018 / (2) Pedimom.com, 2017 / (3) Junior City, 2019 / (4) Institute of Moms, 2017 / (5) The Digital Inclusion Notebooks, 2015.
