5 Platforms That Earned the Most Views This Year - Here's Where the Money Really Flows

5 Platforms That Earned the Most Views This Year - Here's Where the Money Really Flows

18 November 2025 Views: 0

1️⃣YouTube

The king of long-form views and search-driven discovery. Videos compound traffic for years and pay out real money through ads and memberships. If you want views that convert and keep earning, start here.

Address: 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, California, USA

  • Highest watch time at scale
  • Evergreen discoverability via search
  • Strong RPMs and multiple revenue streams
  • Global audience with precise niche communities
  • Robust analytics and A/B tools
  • Higher production effort than short-form
  • Algorithm shifts can affect growth

2️⃣TikTok

Short-form views on tap with viral velocity. Live shopping and creator marketplace open direct cash routes. Perfect for blitz launches and UGC ads.

Address: 180 Strand, London, United Kingdom

  • Explosive organic reach
  • Low-cost content production
  • Creator Marketplace and Spark Ads drive sales
  • Fast feedback loops for testing hooks
  • Live shopping and tipping features
  • Volatile trends require constant iteration
  • Regional policy scrutiny can impact features

3️⃣Instagram

Reels dominate attention and push discovery across the app. Shopping tags and DMs close sales without leaving the feed. Great for brand polish, but reach swings.

Address: 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, California, USA

  • Reels-first distribution
  • Built-in Shops and checkout
  • Cross-posting to Facebook boosts reach
  • Reach can be inconsistent
  • Lower creator payouts than YouTube
  • Requires frequent posting to maintain traction

4️⃣Facebook

Still massive view volume among 25+ audiences. Groups and shares can snowball video reach. CPMs are decent, but algorithm favors pay-to-play.

Address: 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin, Ireland

  • Huge mature audience
  • Group virality potential
  • Solid ad tools and retargeting
  • Organic reach decline for Pages
  • Ad clutter reduces watch time
  • Monetization eligibility rules are strict

5️⃣Twitch

Live views that stick for hours and drive loyal communities. Subs and Bits can stack up, but discoverability is tough unless you stream often. Great for gaming and IRL, limited for quick product pushes.

Address: 350 Bush St, San Francisco, California, USA

  • Deep real-time engagement
  • Subscription and tipping built in
  • Brand deals pay well for top streamers
  • Hard discovery for new channels
  • Requires long streaming hours
  • Ad breaks can hurt retention