BetaSeries: With its 6M monthly users in Western Europe, Betaseries is a leading TV series recommandation online media. Its massive usage analytics provide the media industry with unique insights on TV series and marketing solutions to support TV series development, sales and commissioning. More on betaseries.pro.
The Power of Content in a multiplatform context
With the SVOD market in Europe anticipated to generate a revenue of $20.89b in 2024 and a predicted 8.33% growth rate per year predicted until 2027 In February of this year, European data analysis platform BetaSeries asked viewers about their SVOD habits. Asked how many platforms they subscribe to, the majority – 38.09% of 659 respondents – said three or more. Why? Because they ‘don’t want to miss anything’. Some 25.95% had two subscriptions, and ‘just one is enough’ for 11.38%. Shared accounts with friends and family accounted for 11.8% and 12.14% of respondents said they didn’t need SVOD at all.
Churn is what platform operators fear the most and in February, BetaSeries also asked viewers what would be the strongest reason for switching from one platform to another? A bundled offer with another platform or service came top for 46.5% of respondents, a response reflected in the number of platforms looking to bundling as a possibly strategy to counter churn. Content came second as a driver for a possible switch, with 30.4% saying they’d change to another platform if it gave them access to one or more series they really wanted to see. Price came third for 19.2% of respondents, while a better in-app experience was attractive to just 1.8%.
Impactful Series, Entertainment with educational depth
BETASERIES heard from 2,278 respondents across Germany, France and Spain in a survey/poll that asked whether they prioritise entertainment over information when choosing what to watch on TV. Do they prefer the dystopian Black Mirror, the societal observations of Dopesick, and the geopolitics of Homeland to pure entertainment? How many of them prefer climate change, AI, economics, fake news, war and politics to comedy, gameshows, action and adventure? Well according to the survey/poll, 54% of people are always on the lookout for ‘interesting content’. Some 28% said they want to be challenged but there isn’t enough content around that does that; and just 18% said they switch on the TV simply to be entertained.
Branded entertainment
BETASERIES heard from 2,418 respondents across Germany, France and Spain in a survey/poll that focused on brand representation in films and series. The survey/poll asked what viewers thought of series and films that are created at the initiative of prominent consumer brands, specifically if they support the financing of a production or engage in a meaningful way with the content. The Lego Movie, Barbie, and Red Bull-sponsored content are high-profile examples. The biggest group – 59% – said they didn’t mind if it’s done well and contributes to the funding of the film or series; 25% of respondents felt that brands had no place in the content they wished to watch; and 16% said they were interested when the brand in question has ‘a committed and justified message’ within the content.
International Series
BETASERIES heard from 2,019 respondents across Germany, France and Spain in a survey/poll that focused on the popularity of international series among viewers in those countries. The survey/poll asked simply ‘Do you watch international series?’. The biggest group, 37%, said yes, and they do it often to add variety to their viewing. The second-biggest group, 32%, said they don’t watch enough but they would like to take the time to discover more. A small but substantial group, 19%, said that’s the programming they watch the most – while just 12% were not at all interested. The definition of ‘international’ included all programmes not in the local language or in English. The conclusion here is that the growth of OTT platforms has led to greater exposure to – and appreciation of – non-local and non-English-language content, which is good news for producers everywhere. BetaSeries also concludes that these findings are likely to encourage more co-production and other content partnerships, which can be initiated and concluded at MIPTV.
