Empowering Australian Creativity and Business Growth through YouTube
Oxford Economics Australia delivered a comprehensive analysis of YouTube’s economic, cultural, and educational impact, showcasing its role in supporting jobs, creators, small businesses, and inclusive learning across Australia.
Background: Understanding the Full Value of YouTube Beyond Entertainment
Despite its widespread use, many stakeholders underestimated YouTube’s broader contribution to Australia’s economy, cultural export, education, and business innovation.
The Challenge: Capturing the Scale and Diversity of YouTube’s National Impact
YouTube supports creators, businesses, educators, and communities but measuring this dynamic, multi-dimensional impact across industries, regions, and demographics required deep expertise and robust economic modelling.
The Solution: Quantifying YouTube’s Economic and Social Footprint in Australia
Oxford Economics Australia conducted an independent assessment revealing that YouTube supported 16,000+ full-time equivalent jobs and contributed A$990M+ to GDP in 2023. The analysis also highlighted YouTube’s role in:
- Supporting small business growth (71% of SMBs agree YouTube is essential for growth)
- Fostering local and global reach (79% of businesses built a local following)
- Enhancing educational access (91% of users use YouTube for learning)
- Promoting cultural exchange (90% of users hear from diverse communities)
These deliverables informed public understanding, stakeholder engagement, and strategic conversations about digital platforms in Australia.
The experts behind the research
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Kristian KoldingHead of Consulting, OE Australia
Kristian leads Oxford Economics Australia's Consulting team, working with public and private sector leaders to help them prepare for the future by applying relevant economic theory and forecasts to inform effective policy and business strategy development.
