Research: 50%+ consumers streaming weekly
December 19, 2018
Fifty per cent or more of consumers are streaming video content at least once a week via a Smart TV/external streaming device, mobile device, a computer, or a laptop, according to findings in the 2018 Global Consumer Streaming Habits Survey, from cloud services for video provider Brightcove, which analyses consumption preferences across generations when it comes to live and on-demand streaming video content.
Among all respondents to the YouGov survey, 58 per cent stream content at least once a week via a Smart TV or external streaming device, 51 per cent on a mobile device, and 50 per cent on a computer or laptop. Millennials (19-36 year olds) lead the way in all categories reporting 72 per cent, 73 per cent, and 65 per cent, respectively.
When analysing all consumers’ (aged 18+) online video habits and preferences, the report found:
- The most influential factor for consumers who are considering a new streaming service is cost (53 per cent), followed by their interests being catered to (31 per cent).
- The top five reasons consumers will try out a new streaming service include a free trial (42 per cent), a particular show (38 per cent) exclusive content (29 per cent), cross-device capability (28 per cent), and a good user experience (26 per cent).
- TV is still the top device to consume content on (other options included mobile and computers) for regularly scheduled news (68 per cent), regular season sports (69 per cent), breaking news (54 per cent), special sports events including title fights and championship games (66 per cent), concerts (53 per cent), and fashion shows (45 per cent).
- Advertisements and technical issues are the key spoilers for live streaming experiences, with too many ads (37 per cent) and poor image or video quality (35 per cent) being the top reasons for respondents having abandoned a live stream, followed by buffering (33 per cent) and the live stream crashing (32 per cent).
“Across all generations, consuming online video is now an integral part of our daily entertainment routines,” said Sara Larsen, CMO, Brightcove. “Today, we’re seeing technology-savvy consumers stepping into decision making roles, making it even more critical to understand the motivations behind these decisions. As the industry leader in online video, it’s our job to help our customers be successful with their video strategies, and with that comes staying on top of consumption and buying trends across generations. Today’s reality is every generation is consuming online video more than ever, so we want to ensure our customers have the knowledge and data needed to reach massive cross-generational audiences in a way that allows them to better connect with their viewers.”
When analysing Millennial online video streaming preferences, there were four takeaways to highlight:
- 44 per cent of Millennials describe themselves as ‘browsers’ when looking for something to watch, while 26 per cent of Millennials think of themselves as decisive.
- Millennials feel far more satisfied consuming content through streaming service providers: 68 per cent feel streaming service providers continually provide content they want to watch, compared to 55 per cent who feel the same of broadcast networks and 53 per cent for cable networks.
- 11 per cent of Millennials would embrace a subscription-based model to consume sports content, and 24 per cent would embrace an ad-based model.
- 63 per cent of Millennials share their streaming logins with at least one other person.