In today’s digital ecosystem, the line between mobile-first social and big-screen streaming is disappearing fast. Platforms are no longer treating these as separate environments: they’re building experiences that follow users from their phones to their TVs seamlessly.
At Code3, we’re calling this shift what it is: the next great evolution in performance media. And for brands, it represents a massive opportunity to get ahead, but only if they start paying attention now.
The Blurred Line Between Scrolling and Streaming
The way people consume content is changing…again.
In 2025, social and streaming aren’t separate ecosystems anymore. The short-form, creator-led content users scroll through on their phones is now what they’re watching in their living rooms. The divide between mobile and TV has officially blurred.
And leading that transformation is YouTube.
Once known primarily as a digital video platform, YouTube has become a true Connected TV (CTV) powerhouse. According to Nielsen’s The Gauge, YouTube accounted for 12.4% of total U.S. TV watch time in April 2025: the highest of any platform for the third straight month. That means YouTube now holds a larger share of the television screen than Netflix, Hulu, or any traditional broadcaster.
But it’s not just long-form video driving that growth. YouTube’s Shorts format, which was born on mobile,is thriving on TV. TV screens now account for roughly 36% of all YouTube viewing hours (compared to 29% on mobile) in the U.S., and in the U.K., average daily YouTube watch time on TVs jumped 57% between early 2023 and late 2024.
That means millions of users are sitting on their couches watching creator content, unboxing videos, and Shorts on the biggest screen in the house. And for advertisers, that’s a breakthrough moment.
When users watch on TV, view duration increases and ad completion rates rise, giving brands both attention and impact in the same environment. Within YouTube Ads Manager, marketers can simply toggle on CTV placements, instantly extending their social or video campaigns to the YouTube TV app. No new buy. No complex setup. Just seamless access to a massive, highly engaged audience.
This is where Paid Social and CTV finally intersect: the same creative built for mobile can now capture full-screen attention in the living room. The result is a connected ecosystem where creative, data, and audience intent flow effortlessly between screens.
What this means for brands:
Your audience isn’t choosing between scrolling or streaming: they’re doing both, often on the same platform. YouTube’s ability to bridge that behavior has redefined what it means to “go cross-channel.” If your media plan still separates “social” and “TV,” it’s time to rethink your strategy. Because the next generation of CTV isn’t about new channels, it’s about meeting consumers wherever they already are.
YouTube’s Lead and Why Everyone Else Is Chasing It
YouTube isn’t just leading the charge, it’s redefining the playing field.
By bridging mobile behavior with the TV screen, YouTube has created something every other social platform now wants: a frictionless ecosystem where discovery, engagement, and brand storytelling all happen within one platform, across multiple devices.
For advertisers, that’s a dream. The same audience you reach with a :15 mobile ad can now see your brand on a 65-inch screen with the same targeting logic, same data and same creative. It’s full-funnel marketing without the silos.
And it’s working. YouTube’s connected TV audience continues to skyrocket, with reports showing that viewing hours on TV screens now surpass mobile in several key markets.
And if YouTube’s growth is any indication, this isn’t a one-platform story, it’s the start of a category shift.
In mid-2025, Fortune reported that TikTok and Instagram are both actively building out their own connected-TV strategies, following the YouTube playbook almost to the letter. TikTok has been testing its dedicated TikTok TV app on Roku, Amazon Fire, and Samsung devices, adapting vertical content for widescreen viewing. Meta is reportedly exploring similar Reels to TV integrations, designed for a “lean-back,” big-screen experience.
As people spend more time streaming social video on TVs, platforms are racing to claim that attention. The living room has become the next frontier for creator-driven content, and brands that built success on mobile now want a slice of that full-screen real estate.
From a marketing perspective, this isn’t just a shift in where ads run, it’s a shift in how they perform. If YouTube’s CTV placements are any indication, TikTok and Meta’s eventual rollouts could deliver measurable, data-driven reach that blends upper-funnel storytelling with the direct-response efficiency social is known for.
At Code3, we see this as one of the biggest performance marketing opportunities of the next 18 months.
Our big bet for 2026 and beyond:
Social platforms will blend with streaming networks. Brands won’t need separate CTV and social strategies because they’ll build one holistic video plan that scales across both. The platforms that master that convergence first will own the future of digital attention.
What this means for brands:
Don’t wait for TikTok or Instagram’s CTV rollouts to go mainstream. Use YouTube now as your testing ground. Learn what creative, messaging, and pacing perform best on big screens. Gather those insights. Because when the rest of the social platforms open their CTV doors, and they will, you’ll already be two steps ahead.
The Takeaway: Start Testing Now, Stay Ready for 2026
The way we consume video has changed for good. The devices are converging, the platforms are merging, and the opportunities for brands are multiplying.
YouTube has already proven what’s possible when social meets CTV. TikTok and Instagram are preparing to follow. TVs are the new feed, and the brands that treat it that way today will define what social video looks like tomorrow.