As YouTube expands into TV, it focuses on social media across all genres

The social media has become the battleground of YouTube, as more and more people turn to television shows. Now Google’s platform is trying to make watching movies on TV more interactive, in formats like live and Short, new job listings show.

This shift is reflected in the recent increase in work on YouTube that focuses on the “living room” of all products, design, and engineering, live streaming, TV Shorts, and subscriptions. This points to a bigger push to deepen engagement on the biggest show. The move comes as connected TVs will account for 44% of YouTube viewing time in the US in 2026, up from an estimated 41% in 2022, according to eMarketer data shared with TechCrunch.

Features of work such as chatting, giving gifts, and controlling more devices for live viewing, including efforts to produce shorts more connected and controlled by people on TV. Some roles are emphasized shared life experiences which connects producers and listeners in real time, while others highlight work with connected TVs and compatible TVs expanding distribution. Other articles also point to it work with social media and things like YouTube Primetime Channels as one way to try to create YouTube TV channels.

The service is based in the US and India. Also, many listings show plans expand YouTube Live’s technical environment in Bengaluru is focused on revolutionizing traditional living room advertising.

The push comes as YouTube releases new content for the living room, including Voice search powered by AI on TV. It is also working on a second “TV Companion” show that allows viewers to interact with videos from their phones, and has launched “Station,” 24/7 streams, such as report and The Verge. Last month, YouTube made an agreement with FIFA around the FIFA World Cup 2026 to offer what he described as a “visual experience” on all devices. The effort comes as the platform’s presence on TV is expanding, with YouTube now accounting for 12.5% all for TV viewing.

However, making TV more interactive remains a challenge. While YouTube is pushing to expand its presence on TV, engagement on the big screen has lagged behind mobile and desktop. Ross Benes, a media analyst and streamer at eMarketer says:

He also said that the experience on TV so far has remained insipid, which reduces his viewership.

Despite the challenges, YouTube’s position in the market may give it an advantage as it tries new features on TV. “YouTube straddles the line between social media and mainstream advertising, and it goes beyond that. YouTube doesn’t just lead a community, it’s its community.” Benes told TechCrunch.

Whether or not YouTube can translate its dominance of TV to more audiences remains to be seen, especially as user behavior on the big screen continues to shift from mobile.

YouTube did not respond to a request for comment.