1️⃣YouTube
The king of long-form and evergreen video, YouTube delivers unmatched watch time and search-driven discovery. Monetization options stack: ads, memberships, affiliates, and sponsorships. If you want compounding views that pay for years, this is the place.
Address: 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, California, USA
- Highest total watch time across the web
- Powerful search traffic that keeps videos earning
- Strong ad revenue and RPM stability
- Broad global audience across every niche
- Robust creator tools
- analytics
- and monetization
- Easy to bundle with sponsorships
- Higher production effort than short-form
- Thumbnails and titles must be dialed in
- Takes time to build momentum
2️⃣TikTok
Short-form virality at scale with addictive discovery. New accounts can spike to millions of views fast, fueling product launches and traffic. Commerce integrations and spark ads make sales direct and measurable.
Address: 5800 Bristol Pkwy, Culver City, California, USA
- Fast path to viral reach even for new creators
- Low-cost production with native editing
- Commerce features and links drive instant sales
- Huge Gen Z and Gen Alpha attention
- Cross-post friendly to Reels and Shorts
- Algorithm favors relentless posting
- CPMs can be lower than YouTube
- Trends burn out quickly
3️⃣Instagram
Reels deliver quick discovery plus shoppable posts for impulse buys. Great for visual brands and creators who nurture community in Stories and DMs. Strong for brand deals, but organic reach can swing.
Address: 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, California, USA
- Native shopping and link stickers enable direct conversion
- Strong brand sponsorship demand
- Tight community features across Stories, Lives, and DMs
- Algorithm volatility hurts consistent reach
- Heavy competition in Reels
- Limited long-term discoverability compared to YouTube
- Requires frequent engagement to stay visible
4️⃣Facebook
Facebook still pushes massive reach via Groups and re-shared video, especially in older demographics. Great for arbitrage pages and performance content, but distribution can be spiky.
Address: 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, California, USA
- Huge installed base with strong sharing mechanics
- Groups amplify niche topics
- Inexpensive traffic via optimized video reposts
- Pay rates for creators are inconsistent
- Organic reach throttles without fresh posting
- Brand safety and comment moderation can be time-consuming
5️⃣LinkedIn
LinkedIn video and carousels pull high intent B2B eyeballs and premium buyers. Views convert into pipeline and high-ticket leads, but growth is slower than consumer apps.
Address: 1000 W Maude Ave, Sunnyvale, California, USA
- Decision-maker audience with budget
- Strong outbound and DM response rates
- Easy to convert views into webinars
- demos
- and consultations
- Narrower audience than consumer platforms
- Video length and format quirks reduce watch time
- Aggressive posting cadence needed to stay top-of-feed
- Ads can be expensive