Why social is a double-edged sword for streaming TV

TV shows, movies, and social creator content are lane hopping in search of engagement. It is common practice now for SVOD services to distribute one or several episodes for free on YouTube and TikTok in the hope of transforming social video viewers into SVOD subscribers. And the same applies in the other direction as well: top tier content creators are striking distribution deals to bring their content to SVOD audiences. Ms. Rachel recently partnered with Netflix to provide her catalogue of YouTube videos for children (where she has amassed 13.7 million subscribers and 1.2 billion views across her 118 videos) as compilation episodes for the streaming service.

SVOD and social video once represented separate lanes on the content consumption highway. But as social platforms become kaleidoscopes of entertainment content and SVOD tries to mine YouTube and TikTok for subscribers, these roads are becoming more intertwined.

But how beneficial is this for SVOD services? At times it can feel like a double-edged sword. SVOD is publishing shows on social platforms in the hope of keeping the subscriber funnel well populated, but at a cost of bolstering engagement with a close competitor for time spent.

Among the concerns for SVOD service is the extent to which millennials and Gen Z are watching TV shows and movies in bitesize chunks on social platforms like TikTok and YouTube Short. This has reached mainstream adoption for 20-24-year-olds, 25-34-year-olds and 35-44-year-olds at 57%, 55%, and 56% respectively (MIDiA Research Consumer Survey, Q1, 2024).

In MIDiA’s latest video report 'Streaming TV’s fight on social’s stage', we explore how SVOD services can reimagine their product offer to better fit with the consumption habits of modern consumers whose behaviours are increasingly shaped by social platforms. We unpack the consumption habits of SVOD and social viewers across the age brackets, explore the successes (ReelShort) and failures (Quibi) of short form TV and movie content, and re-think interactive services like watch parties to help SVOD bring community engagement onto their platforms.

Our recommendations, include:

• Short-form feeds to fight SVOD’s tyranny of choice

• Content curation based on audience available time

• SVOD lite apps with a short form content focus

• Scalable short-form content that mimic ReelShort’s success

Without change, SVOD services risk dancing to social platform’s tune while ceding engagement along the way.

For more information about the key insights and data included within this report, please click here. Alternatively contact Ben Woods, MIDiA’s video and creator economy analyst; Niall Doorley, MIDiA’s client partner; or João Pedro Miranda, MIDiA’s client account manager.