Where do you really reach young people in 2026?
Birgit
When we talk about young people, it sometimes seems as if they are only on TikTok and nobody watches TV anymore. But of course the reality is very different, more complicated and more interesting.
The youth research (ages 15–35) by Mediahuis shows a clear pattern: young people use all media channels. Social first, definitely. But traditional media still play a role, streaming dominates viewing behavior, and audio is still being used. And within that mix, preferences shift subtly, yet continuously.
Social media: TikTok is rising
It will surprise no one: TikTok is growing explosively. 60% of young people use the platform. But the nuance lies in the target audience distribution:
Girls aged 15–28 use TikTok much more intensively than boys.
In the 29–35 age group, usage drops and even falls below 50%.
With an 84% reach, Instagram is still the most used social platform alongside WhatsApp. The differences between men and women are smaller than on TikTok. Telegram shows strong growth (+58%), although it remains stuck at 17%. And as a news source, social media is losing ground; young people increasingly choose online news sites when it comes to reliability.
In short: TikTok for culture and creativity, Instagram for reach and recognition, and news more and more outside of social media.
Viewing: streaming dominates
On average, young people watch 2.8 hours of video per day, of which 1.6 hours is linear TV. And that says a lot: TV is not dead, its function has changed. Streaming platforms, however, are the clear winner in viewing behavior. Netflix tops the list in all age groups: 80% of 15–28-year-olds watch, and 75% of 29–35-year-olds.
The rest of the top three consists of Videoland (45%) and Disney+ (40%). Women stream more on average than men, while men more often turn to YouTube for their video content. Linear TV is mainly turned on for moments that cannot be postponed: sports and live events. Those are the moments when young people still watch en masse at the same time.
Audio: music remains dominant
Audio remains an essential part of the day. 93% use a music streaming service. What is striking is that Spotify drops from 92% to 77%, while YouTube Music rises slightly to 22%.
Radio remains present, especially in the morning and on the go; the ritual listening moment remains important. And then podcasts. 16% listen daily, and even 2/3 listened to at least one in the past three months. The older the young people get, the more often podcasts become part of their routine. Thus, podcasts主要是 grow along with life stages.
Advertising: irritation is decreasing
Strikingly positive: young people are less negative about advertising than before. But the difference between media types remains large. Out-of-home advertising, magazines & newspapers, and cinema advertising are perceived as the least annoying, probably because they do not (or less) get in the way.
Online ads on mobile, on the other hand, are the most annoying (55%), although this sentiment is also slightly decreasing here. Influencers are effective but are also perceived as annoying:
Irritation rises to 47% (+5%).
43% of young people have bought something after seeing influencer content.
Women buy more often.
Men click through more often.
The 29–35 group turns out to be remarkably convertible.
So irritation and effectiveness can coexist. An important point that is shared is that the content must feel authentic. The same actually applies to podcasts and advertising. However, we see here that irritation rises to 59% regarding advertising; in fact, half of them almost always fast-forward through it. Here too, older listeners are more accepting of ads, as long as the message feels honest and fits the host.
And now?
If you want to reach young people, you have to let go of one thing: the idea that there is one channel, one age group, or one approach. Young people navigate media in a way that is hybrid, multifaceted, and context-dependent. Just like everyone else, although their baseline preference might lean more towards social media, they use much more. What is important, though, is that they do not adjust to your message; your message must adjust to their rhythm.
And above all: an honest, human, appropriate message.