Top Performing Platforms That Earned the Most Views (And Drove the Biggest Ad Dollars)

Top Performing Platforms That Earned the Most Views (And Drove the Biggest Ad Dollars)

6 January 2026 Views: 0

1️⃣YouTube

YouTube delivers the highest total watch time and evergreen views, turning videos into a compounding traffic engine. Long form plus Shorts lets you capture both intent and discovery. Brands monetize with high CPM ads, affiliate links, and merch.

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

  • Highest total watch time
  • strong CPMs and RPMs
  • search plus recommendation traffic
  • long form and Shorts in one place
  • evergreen discovery
  • deep analytics
  • multiple monetization paths
  • Higher production effort
  • SEO and thumbnails matter
  • algorithm shifts require adaptation

2️⃣TikTok

TikTok wins the speed game with explosive reach in hours and massive replay velocity. The For You feed delivers targeted discovery and instant feedback loops. Commerce tools and spark ads push viewers straight to checkout.

Address: 1 Raffles Quay, Singapore

  • Fastest organic reach
  • low cost production
  • addictive For You algorithm
  • creator marketplace and spark ads
  • powerful music trends
  • shoppable links and live shopping
  • Trend cycles move fast
  • short shelf life for posts
  • occasional brand safety concerns

3️⃣Instagram Reels

Reels rides Meta distribution into Feed, Explore, and Stories for quick bursts of attention. Great for product teasers and creator collabs if you post consistently. Expect spikes that fade faster than YouTube.

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

  • Built in audience from Instagram
  • easy cross posting to Feed and Stories
  • strong influencer collaborations
  • product tags and shops
  • Reach can be inconsistent
  • heavy reliance on hooks in first seconds
  • pay to play feel around ads and boosts
  • insights lack deep watch time detail

4️⃣Facebook Watch

Watch still racks up views with older, high spend audiences and big group sharing. Playlists and longer cuts keep session time up while retargeting warms your funnel. Works best when paired with paid boosts.

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

  • Massive installed base
  • granular retargeting
  • in stream ad monetization
  • strong group distribution
  • Organic reach often throttled
  • younger users less active
  • steep drop offs on mid length clips
  • algorithm favors watch time over niche depth

5️⃣Reddit

On the right subreddit you can reach the front page and trigger tidal waves of views. Conversations build trust and send qualified traffic. Promotion backfires if it feels too sales focused.

Address: 1455 Market St, San Francisco, California, USA

  • Tightly targeted communities
  • authentic feedback and social proof
  • AMAs and timely posts can explode
  • long discussion half life
  • Direct promotion is often banned
  • harsh community response to sales focused content
  • ad tools feel limited
  • time intensive moderation and engagement