The audience looking for consumer electronics content on social video is massive — but how can CE marketers maximize the impact of their content to reach the right audience at scale?
We uncovered a number of insights in our recent analysis of the CE space across social video platforms to help do just that.
For example, 71% of top brand consumer electronics videos are less than 3 minutes in length, but these short-form videos deliver a mere 0.33% average engagement rate. Longer videos on the other hand (3 minutes and longer) average a 0.82% engagement rate.


Audiences also view and engage with certain CE content types on YouTube more than others — and brand marketers should invest in producing the video types that best align with their specific marketing goals. 51% of videos in the consumer electronics space are commercials — far and away the most common CE video published — but this type of video earns the second-lowest engagement rate on average, at 0.18%. Destruction and product teaser videos generate the highest engagement rates, at 1.02% and 0.85% respectively. Reviews (which are largely creator-produced), and brand-owned product information videos attract the most views, at 40.4M and 32.9M average views respectively. This indicates that while consumers overwhelmingly turn to their trusted creators for product reviews, brands are investing in paid media to drive viewership of their product info videos, seeking to meet the demand — historically filled by creators — for insights on devices.

Brand-owned Content Types:

  • Commercial: A 15 or 30 second TV ad repurposed for digital.
  • Product Teaser: An introduction to a new product or product line, giving consumers a glimpse at a forthcoming release.
  • Product Demonstration: An explainer video that highlights a product in action, showing how the device would typically be used.
  • Short Film: A long-form, brand-produced video that shines a light on the real-world benefits of a device.

Creator Content Types:

  • Destruction: A video that tests the limits of consumer electronics, frequently by dropping, bending, submerging devices.
  • Product Information: A video that takes a deep dive into device features, specs, and technical details.
  • Concept: Typically produced by a creator, these videos imagine possibilities for future devices and features.
  • Parody: A comedy video that lampoons features, brands, or products in the market.
  • Tips/Tricks: A video that explains how to improve a consumer’s experience with a device.
  • Review: A thorough examination of a product and its features, typically including comparisons to competing or preceding products.


CE Creators vs Brands

Brands own a considerable share of the consumer electronics space — nearly 9% of total views, (significantly higher than the 3% that beauty brands control within the of the beauty space) that brands control) — indicating that CE brands are producing a high volume of content, and investing in paid media to drive viewership. While CE creators attract a wide following through engaging content like destruction and unboxing videos, brands’ large share of the CE space shows that audiences are still receptive to brand-owned content.
The top 10 most-viewed consumer electronics brands on YouTube have a combined subscriber base of 33M, and have published 170K videos across 560 active channels, drawing 13.3B views and 48M engagements in total. On average, brand-owned CE videos receive around 77K views and a 0.36% engagement rate.
Top brand and creator videos attract comparable view counts on average, but creator videos generate roughly 3X more engagements than brand-owned videos. In order to close this gap, brand marketers should follow creator best practices when building their video strategies, taking a cue from popular influencers like EverythingApplePro or TechnoBuffalo, and consider partnering with leading and emerging CE creators to coincide with a new product launch.

  • TechnoBuffalo: This popular channel features reviews and comparisons of smartphones and tech products to help consumers understand the latest devices. The channel follows a rigorous publishing schedule — releasing new videos every 2 days on average — and produces long-form content tailormade for a modern digital audience.
  • EverythingApplePro: This channel creates product review videos comparing devices and accessories, as well as educational videos explaining recent software updates or feature releases. This creator also produces entertaining destruction videos that have propelled it to the top of the CE creator charts.



Successful CE creators who built their loyal following on YouTube have been increasingly moving away from producing content solely for YouTube, extending their influence across other walled gardens. Forward-thinking brand advertisers should take a page from creators’ books, and approach the social video ecosystem with a similar holistic, cross-platform strategy.
Want to learn more about building video ad campaigns that leverage the advantages of each social video platform? Contact us today to set up a meeting and get your hands on the full CE study.