2021-05-31-CONVIVA-Conviva_s_State_of_Streaming_15页_1mb

Conviva's State of Streaming – Q1 2021 Summary

Core Content Overview

The Q1 2021 report by Conviva highlights the evolving landscape of streaming media, emphasizing a shift in viewing habits, the increasing role of social media in streaming strategies, and the mixed quality improvements across different platforms and regions. The report provides insights into how streaming content is being consumed, the performance of ads, and the impact of the pandemic on consumer behavior.

Key Trends and Insights

Streaming Growth

• Global streaming time increased by 36% year-over-year.
• South America, Europe, and Africa saw the most significant growth, with triple-digit increases.
• North America and Asia had more moderate growth, at 18% and 15%, respectively.

Big Screens Dominate

• Big screens accounted for 73% of global viewing time in Q1 2021, up from 71% in the previous quarter.
• Smart TVs saw the largest increase in viewership, with a 115% rise in time spent streaming.
• Roku dominated big screen viewing in North America with 37% share, but had low international presence (≤4% in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America).
• Other big screen devices like Samsung TV, LG TV, and Chromecast had notable shares in specific regions.

Social Media Impact

• Streaming publishers increased social media posts by 99% and video content by 39% compared to Q1 2020.
• Total engagements rose by 24%, and audience growth was 61%.
• TikTok played a major role in audience growth for streaming publishers.
• Netflix led with 234 million followers across social platforms, followed by Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, WWE Network, and Disney+.

Super Bowl Advertising Lift

• Super Bowl ads, trailers, and teasers generated over 500 million views on social media in the first 6 weeks of 2021.
• Cross-platform engagement rate for Super Bowl advertisers peaked at 1.51% in the week before the game, three times higher than pre-game averages.
• The average engagement rate for all Super Bowl advertisers was 0.50% in Q1, showing the long-term impact of social media ads.

Streaming Ad Performance

• Ad demand rebounded from the second half of 2020, with 4% more ad attempts and 13% more ad impressions compared to Q4 2020.
• Ad quality improved with 50% higher bitrate and less time waiting for ads to start, but buffering increased slightly by 9%.
• Ad duration decreased to 28 seconds, with more 15-second ads.
• Streaming Performance Index (SPI) for ads ranged from 45% to 81%, indicating that only 81% of ad experiences were good for viewers, with more than half not having a good experience.

Device Performance and Quality

• Smart TVs had the best picture quality and lowest buffering.
• Gaming consoles had the least buffering at 0.14%, while mobile phones had the highest buffering at 0.96%.
• Minutes per play increased by 5% globally, with Europe leading at 23.7 minutes per play.

On-Demand vs Live Streaming

• On-demand content grew by 45%, while live streaming increased by 14%.
• On-demand accounted for 76% of total streaming time, with live streaming at 24%.
• Live streaming had higher minutes per play (25.7) and better buffering and video start time than on-demand, but on-demand had better bitrate and lower video start failures.

Sports Leagues on Social Media

• NBA had the highest video post share at 44%, followed by NFL (35%), NHL (32%), and MLS (22%).
• TikTok saw a significant increase in sports audience share, rising from 1% in Q1 2020 to 4% in Q1 2021.
• NFL had the largest TikTok audience share at 8%, while Bundesliga had 8% on TikTok in Europe.
• Facebook remained the dominant platform for sports leagues, with Premier League teams using it the most.
• Twitter was dominated by North American leagues, with NHL leading at 37% share, followed by MLB (30%), MLS (27%), NFL (27%), and NBA (25%).

Conclusion

The pandemic has significantly influenced streaming habits, social media engagement, and advertising strategies. With big screens becoming the primary viewing platform and social media playing a crucial role in audience growth, the streaming industry is adapting to a new normal. While ad quality improved overall, there is still room for growth. TikTok and Facebook emerged as key platforms for sports leagues, and social media continues to be a vital tool for streaming publishers to engage and expand their audience.