Streaming Stats: 45 Thought-Provoking Video Streaming Statistics of 2020

2020 was undoubtedly a wavering year. The year-long pandemic has transformed nearly every life aspect of every person, from lifestyle at home to business growth and communication in the workplace. Video streaming is, without question, a booming industry with spikes in its userbase. Let’s have a look at some intriguing video streaming statistics of this year.

General Video Streaming Statistics

• In March 2020, Google reported that more than 100 million people watch YouTube and YouTube TV on TV screens each month in the U.S. (YouTube Internal Data, U.S., March 2020)
• As more media consumers are spending more time at home, the shift to TV consumption has amplified. The overall watch time has jumped 80% year over year. (YouTube Internal Data, U.S., March 11, 2020 to April 10, 2020 vs. March 11, 2019 to April 10, 2019)
• The global watch time of both ad-supported and purchased feature-length movies is up 800% year over year, and watch time for live content is up 250%. (Think with Google)
• Online videos could have the greatest retention power after the COVID-19 pandemic ends, especially among Gen Z and millennials. (Global Web Index)
• 76% of online video watchers in the U.S. say they plan to consume just as much of the content when the outbreak is over compared to 58% in the UK. (Global Web Index)
• A month into the COVID-19 outbreak, 87% of U.S. adults said the internet had been at least important for them personally during the outbreak, including 53% who deemed the internet as “essential” for them personally, according to a survey conducted in April 2020. (Pew Research Center)
• Video streaming software market is predicted to grow from $3,253.3 million (2017) to $7,507.7 million (2022), at a CAGR of 18.2% during the forecast period. (IBM Executive Summary of Video Streaming Software 2020)
• VIdeo-on-demand streaming is estimated to hold the largest market share of the overall video streaming software. (IBM Executive Summary of Video Streaming Software 2020)
• By 2024, there will be more than 90 million subscribers that use live video streaming (ABI Research)
• Staying at home can result in a 60% increase in the amount of content we consume (Nielsen)

State of Live Streaming

• 80% of UK consumers and 87% of U.S. consumers say they’re consuming more content. Broadcast television, online videos, and online television streaming may take the top spots overall for increased media consumption during COVID-19. (Global Web Index)
• Livestream videos (30%) and podcasts (20%) are more popular among millennials than other generations. (Global Web Index)
• Millennials account for the largest share of livestreamed media consumption in the U.S. and U.K. (30%) (Global Web Index)
• Gen Zs are 63% more likely than average to want an option to donate or directly support performers. (Global Web Index)
• 29% of millennials want to share their experience with their friends, 24% more likely than average (Global Web Index)
• 47% of surveyed respondents from traditional or streaming media reported their revenue from videos are less than $100,000. 10% of overall respondents report their organization’s video-based revenues are up to $100 million. (Unisphere)
• 44% of surveyed respondents said they watch less live TV as a result of livestreaming. (Interactive Advertising Bureau)
• The typical latency for HTTP streaming is 40 seconds. On the other hand, broadcast latency is about 5 seconds. (ABI Research)

Video Streaming Statistics on Social Media

• Generally, younger generations are consuming more media than older generations. Just over half of Gen Z say they’re consuming more online videos such as YouTube and TikTok more than other generations, making those social channels their top media to consume right now. (Global Web Index)
• 34% of all internet users are gaming or social live streamers (Global Web Index)
• 41% of gaming or social live streamers are female (Global Web Index)
• APAC is home to the majority of live streaming audiences (Global Web Index):
  • 35% of internet users are live social streamers in APAC (excluding China)
  • 17% of internet users are live game streamers in APAC (excluding China)
• Social live streamers are 87% more likely than average to promote or support charities (Global Web Index)
• The total volume of television and COVID-19-related conversations on Twitter alone reached nearly 9 million since the start of 2020 in the U.S.—a staggering 40X increase between January and March amid the peak novelty of the coronavirus pandemic. (Nielsen)
• Twitch hit 13 billion hours watched between January and September, almost 90% more than YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming combined, (TechWire):
  • Q1 2020: 3.2 billion watched hours
  • Q2 2020: 5.1 billion watched hours
  • Q3 2020: 4.7 billion hours

Media Online Activities

• Apps like Microsoft Teams and Google Hangouts are more popular in the U.S. than the UK, and among men and higher-income users. (Global Web Index)
• The video-calling Zoom app shows more adoption among younger generations. Approximately 1 in 5 Gen Z and millennials use this app to connect with loved ones. (Global Web Index)
• Even after the pandemic ends, women are expected to be considerably more likely than men to continue reading and listening to podcasts. Meanwhile, men are more likely to continue livestreaming and playing video games. (Global Web Index)
• Younger age groups, especially millennials, are most enthusiastic about receiving updates, engaging with daily live chats, and watching livestreams of virtual performances. (Global Web Index)

Video Streaming Statistics in Over-the-Top (OTT) Media

• 72% of households with wireless internet stream video on their connected TV screens, making OTT media a massive market. (Comscore)
• Streaming boxes and sticks make up 56% of to-date OTT streaming hours in March and connected TVs account for 32%. (Comscore)
• When comparing the four most recent days of available data, this growth is even more pronounced vs. the same days in 2019. (Comscore)
• Breaking it down by service, the four largest players, Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, account for the largest OTT share of watch time of more than 75%. (Comscore)
• Share of OTT on connected TVs:
  • 37% Netflix
  • 21% YouTube
  • 16% Amazon Prime Video
  • 12% Hulu
  • 14% Other
• Share of OTT hours:
  • 21% Netflix
  • 17% Hulu
  • 16% YouTube
  • 14% Amazon Prime Video
  • 32% Other

• Streaming among over-the-top (OTT) capable homes accounts for 25% of consumers’ collective time spent with the television (Nielsen)
• More users are willing to spend more time and even money on streaming videos. According to a survey, only 2% of adults report they are reducing the number of paid video services, while 25% have subscribed to a new service. (Nielsen)