Google said Filipino audiences are increasingly turning to YouTube creators as their most trusted sources of information and entertainment, reflecting a major shift in viewing behavior across the country.
At the YouTube Works Awards Southeast Asia held in Taguig on Oct. 7, Google Philippines country manager Prep Palacios cited data from a Kantar survey showing that nine in 10 Filipino viewers trust YouTube creators, saying this trust is rooted in authentic connections between creators and their communities.
“The nature of trust and influence has been changing. It’s now beyond views and likes,” Palacios told PhilSTAR Tech in an exclusive interview during the sidelines of the YouTube Works Awards yesterday.
“Trusted creators on YouTube build communities and relationships with their followers, who actually listen to them — on what to watch, what to buy, or even what to believe,” she added
She said YouTube continues to lead in categories such as entertainment, music, news, and education, noting that Filipinos increasingly use the platform to learn new skills and find information online.
Palacios added that digital consumption is rapidly expanding outside major cities, with 88 percent of Filipinos in rural Visayas and Mindanao now watching YouTube daily, and 70 percent using mobile phones to access videos.
She attributed the growth to cheaper smartphones, more accessible prepaid Wi-Fi, and the rise of local creators producing content in regional languages.
“This is actually helping the audiences in the rural Visayas and Mindanao to become more digital,” the Google PH country manager said.
Moreover, Palacios said Google aims to sustain this growth by helping creators and advertisers adapt to emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
“AI will revolutionize the way, the speed, the scale, and creative potential of everything we do as consumers and as advertisers. And AI can also materialize the business results for our advertisers.”
Furthermore, Kantar, Google’s trusted global measurement and insights partner since 2008, provides research that helps the company understand audience behavior and advertising effectiveness across its platforms, including YouTube.
Palacios said these insights allow Google to help brands make more data-informed decisions as advertising budgets increasingly shift toward digital.
“We want to continue building confidence among advertisers as they move their investments online. Our goal is to give them actionable insights and innovative tools so they can engage audiences meaningfully,” She said.
