Q1 2020 DIGITAL VIDEO TRENDS: Social Media and News Services Propel Live Streaming During Coronavirus Pandemic

• This is a preview of the new Q1 2020 Digital Video Trends report from our partners at eMarketer.
• eMarketer PRO analyzes the social media industry and provides in-depth analyst reports, proprietary forecasts, customizable charts, and more. Check if your company subscribes to eMarketer PRO, or learn more about access here.

It’s unclear how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last and how it will ultimately affect the ad industry, but what is certain is that marketing and TV broadcasting as we know it will change during and after this global crisis. The sentiment of audiences towards certain marketing tactics, messages, and brands is already evolving, and we may see consumers completely rethink how they spend their money and time. 

Connected TV is offering value right now by bringing audiences content while cooped up in their homes. That’s why it should come as no surprise that viewership is surging as people turn to the news to connect with what’s going on in the world, or the latest sitcom to decompress from the stress of their new reality.

In light of the ramifications the pandemic has already had on businesses and individuals, Connected TV providers will have to change the way they are investing their ad dollars and prioritize sensitivity in their marketing to connect with consumers. In addition, content that can’t be generated that once drew in massive audiences, could take a toll on the media sector if the current serge is not enough to offset the dropoff.

eMarketer’s report Q1 2020 Digital Video Trends reveals which Connected TV advertising strategies are connecting with the sentiment of audiences and how marketers can continue to reach viewers in the absence of sports and other live events.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• Magna Global showed that TV networks with sports coverage could see viewership rates decline from 9% to 25%, as it remains uncertain when professional and collegiate sports will return to TV. However, the hunger for live sports lives on, and networks are resorting to replaying popular games and discussing fans’ favorite players to keep audiences engaged and their staff employed.
• We previously predicted that 48% of US digital video viewers will watch live content monthly this year, but increased that to 56% in February as social media live streaming and video news coverage grew faster than anticipated. With several states shutting down public venues and forcing people to work remotely, Nielson suggests that video viewing could increase by up to 60%.
• The time spent by leading streaming service Netflix continues to grow daily. However, Netflix’s share of US daily video time peaked in 2019 at 27.0% and is expected to decline to 25.7% by 2021, reflecting that it may face competition this year. With Walt Disney Co. projected to spend the most on content in 2020, we may see services like Disney+ catch up in the streaming services space.
• Studios are shutting down TV and movie production, but it remains unclear which content will be truncated or paused, and how long this will last. As movie theatres close temporarily, media companies may try to increase their ROI, by quickly making movies that are still in theatres more immediately available to audiences through on-demand streaming.

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