Report: Lockdown boosts digital content consumption 120%
April 15, 2021
Programmatic media partner MiQ has taken a look at online behaviour over the last year and surveyed consumers from all around the world to find out what changes the year of lockdown has made to people and what marketers need to know to reach them.
Using this analysis, it compiled a report, A Year of Lockdowns, outlining the major ways people around the world have changed as consumers.
Among the report’s findings:
- Lockdown has accelerated the rise of new channels – The online opportunity across connected TV (+200 per cent) and gaming consoles (+70 per cent) has grown considerably over the year, with the most significant gains in the US.
- Digital content consumption grew and grew – In the early stages of lockdown, online activity surged by almost +120 per cent across most domains all around the world. Though this levelled off as people adapted to life in lockdown, we continue to see a 76 per cent YOY increase in overall online opportunity. Categories such as online games, arts and entertainment, and news, have continued to grow since last year.
- Content consumption on OTT platforms has grown 19 per cent among people aged 18-34, the traditional OTT loyalists – but it’s grown even more strongly among people aged 35 and older (21 per cent), many of whom are likely to be new to OTT. Overall, 45 per cent of consumers are watching more TV now than they were this time last year.
- Online shopping has grown – and will stick around – 46 per cent consumers surveyed were more positive about buying clothes and accessories online, even post lockdown, while 36 per cent say the same about electronics and entertainment, and 33 per cent about beauty products.
- People have altered their financial priorities – 36 per cent of customers have become more interested in online banking over the lockdown year, with steeply growing interest among people 45 and older. 26 per cent of people have more interest in stock investments, while 23 per cent say the same about cryptocurrencies. Younger, unmarried individuals have shown a higher propensity for taking higher risks for higher potential profits.
- Younger consumers are keen to travel; older audiences remain anxious – Over 44 per cent of people plan to travel for vacation in the next 12 months, with half of those planning to travel domestically. More than half of consumers aged 18- 45 plan to travel in the next 12 months.
- The news is constantly on for most Americans – there has been a 42 per cent increase in those who are streaming the news.