Blog: The TV Experience Rewritten

By Julie Triolo, SVP, Media & Distribution Marketing & Research, Vevo

In my role overseeing marketing and research at Vevo, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with the Vevo insights team and our partners on efforts to better understand modern TV viewers. These efforts are critical to Vevo as a beloved TV network by audiences across the globe. We want to know the preferences of our fans, so that we can best serve them the music content they crave. Our goal is to create uniquely memorable connections no other art form can imitate.

With that in mind, we recently completed an exclusive audience research study with Publicis Media – The State of Modern TV Viewership – in which we uncovered some striking insights about the habits of TV viewers in the modern streaming economy.

Here are some of the findings we unveiled and some developing trends we see unfolding.

Viewers use more than 6 TV services on a monthly basis. Even though consumers are faced with a lot of choice, 84% of respondents indicate they are not overwhelmed by the magnitude of content and service options at their disposal.

App flipping is the new channel surfing. Take Gen X, for example – 36% prefer to browse when they turn on the TV as opposed to selecting a specific service or content. Browsing is even higher among male audiences.

Ad-Supported TV is thriving. Skipping ads? Only 7% are – meaning 93% indicated they watch some level of ad-supported TV. Also noteworthy, 75% assert they enjoy a healthy mix of content with and without ads.

TVOS discoverability matters. Pre-loaded FAST services are by far the top discovered services for viewers (49%), trailed by vMVPDs (31%) and paid VOD with ads (25%). This evidence demonstrates the importance of TV operating system discovery in modern TV.

Content is still king. While viewers’ TV operating system entrypoint impacts what they immediately discover, people indicate they seek out their favorite content regardless of the service/platform. For example, respondents who “love” FAST are 14% more likely to tune-in to a FAST channel the following day after an initial viewership session.

Parting Thoughts

Key takeaway for networks? A ubiquitous streaming strategy is paramount to ensuring the modern TV viewer can discover and access your content. Also, expect more programmers to embrace or expand their FAST distribution as it offers a frictionless experience viewers continue to embrace.

Key takeaway for media buyers? Similar to programmers. A multi-platform TV advertising strategy is important. There is no ‘one stop shop’ for content, so marketers must meet their consumers where they’re watching.

This research offers invaluable insights for marketers looking to pinpoint and capture audience attention in this dynamic landscape, and it’s only a glimpse into the research work we’re doing at Vevo to better understand and connect with viewers. Be on the lookout for more pieces exploring the shift in consumer viewership behavior.