WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE GLOBAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE IN 2023?

By YouGov

Are physical media activities finally returning? Find out the ways global consumers adjusted their engagement with information and entertainment amidst various global phenomena, and how are they likely to evolve their media consumption patterns.

Globally, digital media, streaming activities and interacting with social media are set to see the biggest increase in consumption over the next year.

The media industry is facing new challenges as a result of the effects of significant global events such as the easing of the global pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. How have consumers across the globe changed how they interact with information and entertainment in these modern times, and how are their media consumption habits likely to change?

According to YouGov’s report, digital media is becoming more prevalent in everyday life, with more than 9 out of 10 (95%) global consumers visited social media/ apps in the past 12 months and a similar proportion (93%) intending to do so in the next 12 months.

Our data also shows a decline in consumption for traditional media such as listening to the radio and reading newspapers or magazines in print or online. In contrast, digital activities saw the largest increases in consumption in the previous 12 months, with more than three in ten stating they spent more time accessing websites or apps, streaming video, and interacting with social media.

Source: YouGov

While the outlook across all media types is nearly identical, with most people intending to do the same, in-person activities experienced the largest decline in the previous year. YouGov research shows that more than a third of global consumers (34%) have attended fewer live events in the last 12 months, and almost four in ten visited the cinema less often.

One of the report highlights is the media stickiness for 2023. We define stickiness as those who claim to have maintained or increased their consumption of each media type in the last 12 months and are likely to maintain or consume more in the next 12 months. Our research reveals that global consumers are creatures of habit, with more than eight in ten intending to stick to their consumption of all media types in the coming 12 months.

Source: YouGov

Younger adults appear to present a loyalty challenge for marketers and advertisers. While stickiness levels remain high for all media types among 18–24-year-olds globally (ranging from 74% to 87%), younger adults are less loyal and less likely to stick with their media choices than older generations, particularly for more traditional media activities such as listening to the radio, reading a newspaper or magazine, and watching live and non-live TV.

We also examine which media activities are the growth drivers. More than a third (35%) of global consumers who either maintained or increased their video streaming consumption in the last 12 months are likely to increase their use of video streaming services in the next 12 months. This is followed by streaming music, with a growth driver score of 34%.

Surprisingly, attending live, in-person events (35%), and going to the movies (34%), are activities that scored the top growth driver score globally, these scores are similar to streaming video. This implies that current consumers’ desire to engage in more outdoor activities over the next 12 months is comparable to their interest in streaming digital content.

Source: YouGov

This development opens up many opportunities and possibilities for the movie and events industries. Many marketers recognise the value of these increasingly engaged audiences and have raised their cinema and events budgets to reach them. However, the difficulty facing the industries is how to convince customers who are still hesitant to engage in these activities to think about returning.

Source: YouGov

Video streaming is one of the top growth drivers globally. Our study found that 35% of global consumers increased their video streaming consumption in the last 12 months, and this figure drops to 26% who are likely to increase their viewing in the next 12 months, suggesting growth is plateauing. However, YouGov research shows that across the international markets surveyed, 37% of global consumers currently subscribe to and plan to continue their subscription video on demand (SVOD) services next year, and this is higher than other types of paid-for content services (see opposite page).

In order to create an effective outreach plan or marketing campaign, it is crucial to consider the growth drivers and understand which media will stick, which will grow, and how the media landscape will evolve. To uncover other insights and get a deeper understanding of the changing media behaviour in the upcoming year, download the full whitepaper here. YouGov also provides regular media data and real time insights to help you make the best business decisions.

Methodology

The insights in this report are drawn from a recent global Custom survey on the Global media sector, specifically past media consumption patterns and the future global media landscape, covering 18 global markets of more than 19,000 respondents. Our survey was fielded the week of 10th August to 25th August 2022.

The YouGov panel provides a naturally accurate and representative view of the population. Data is adjusted using a mild weighting team using interlocking demographic characteristics—methodology considered advanced in the market research space.

About the company

YouGov is a global provider of analysis and data generated by over 17 million registered panelists in more than 59 markets. Founded in the UK in 2000, YouGov is considered the pioneer of online market research. Our unique fully integrated online model has a well-documented and published track record illustrating the accuracy of its survey methods and in turn the quality of its client service work. We can conduct research in all continents and our online model allows clients to get international results faster and more cost-effectively than traditional methods, with no compromise on quality. Find out more at https://business.yougov.com/.