Online Video & Entertainment : Global Trends, Facts and Figures

The growth of any entertainment-related business can be attributed to the increasing number of people using portable devices like personal computers to consume digital audiovisual media, as well as the shift in consumption patterns from one generation to the next. The said market includes very vast and assorted categories of video content. These categories range from films to television serials, live content, user-generated videos, music, and interactive productions. The notable cause of this history is the emergence of the internet, an increase in advocacy for mobile phone usage, plus technological enhancements in video streaming-related activities.

The growth of the online video & entertainment market has been exponential in the last few years. Key enablers in this growth include the proliferation of mobile Internet users, growth in the number of streaming services, and the wide acceptance of vis-à-vis platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and TikTok.


Online Video and Entertainment Industry


Overview

The growth of any entertainment-related business can be attributed to the increasing number of people using portable devices like personal computers to consume digital audiovisual media, as well as the shift in consumption patterns from one generation to the next. The said market includes very vast and assorted categories of video content. These categories range from films to television serials, live content, user-generated videos, music, and interactive productions. The notable cause of this history is the emergence of the internet, an increase in advocacy for mobile phone usage, plus technological enhancements in video streaming-related activities.

The growth of the online video & entertainment market has been exponential in the last few years. Key enablers in this growth include the proliferation of mobile Internet users, growth in the number of streaming services, and the wide acceptance of vis-à-vis platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and TikTok.

Types & Definition

The online video & entertainment industry encompasses activities such as producing, sharing, and distributing videos for online consumption. This content may include films, TV programs, music videos, real-time events, user-generated content (UGC), instructional videos, and so on. The scope of this industry also extends to video on demand, broadcasting and sharing services, social media videos, and interactive videos such as videogames and esports. The turn toward internet adoption, high-speed broadband, and mobile devices witnessed an upsurge in the sector; such is the case.

Video-on-Demand:

This gives users the opportunity to choose what they wish to view, where, and when they wish to view that content. For instance, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ are some of the platforms with video-on-demand streaming services.

Example: Any user can decide to watch movies such as “The Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix whenever they please.

Live video streaming:

Real-time transmission of images, sound, and video is typically employed in the case of events, producing games, or other information-based applications. Examples include Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Example: Watching a video of a concert or band performing live on Youtube, or even watching live gaming sessions on Twitch.

UCG (User Content Generation):

Name of content produced by users and uploaded to social networks and other video hosting platforms. Examples of these platforms include TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.

Example: A do-it-yourself video is loaded to YouTube, or how about an appreciation post to a friend by using Instagram or TikTok?

Video-enabled Music Streaming:

Music streaming services with videos embedded that allow a consumer to stream videos in addition to other music. Examples of this content include YouTube Music and VEVO Music.

Example: A music video is available on YouTube Music for a newly released hit song.

On-Demand Streaming Subscriptions-SVOD:

It is a revenue generation structure in which the subscribers pay a fee to access the on-demand service. Amongst these are Netflix, Disney, and HBO Max.

Example: Watching ‘The Crown’ or similar Netflix originals, ‘Stranger Things.’

Free to Use Streaming-AVOD:

These are boxes or platforms that provide video content free of cost but occasionally play commercials. These include the famous YouTube and app likes of Peacock.

Example: Viewing an entire feature film on YouTube with interruptions of commercial ads.

Gaming and Esports Broadcasting:

This involves watching live video content playing in relation to games, especially those in competition. Some of the most popular platforms include Twitch and YouTube Gaming.

Example: Participating in or watching live broadcasts of a Fortnite international championship minibattle.

Industry Trends

1. There is a growing demand for contemporary content, with over-the-top (OTT) players like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus introducing more content into the market to entice current and potential subscribers.

2. Getting ready for the 5th generation of technology—The launch of 5G broadband internet networks is meant to meet new needs in video content, reducing buffering and download times. This will also make it possible to enjoy other types of media, like 4K images and VR.

3. Cloud Gaming & Cloud Streaming: This would involve the use of services such as Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now to change video entertainment to gaming player vs. streaming player, which is a fusion of both gaming and video entertainment by keeping even the video games in streaming content.

4. Social Videos: The media industry encourages and utilizes video on as many social media platforms as possible. TikTok and Instagram are increasingly using short videos, with even celebrities actively engaging with these applications.

5. Virtual Graphics - VR and Augmented Reality - AR: It presents entertainment mostly through headgear, and users can enjoy video content and games by means of VR and AR technologies.

6. The problem of subscription anxiety: People are signing into many streaming platforms; however, there is also fear among people about spending too much on subscriptions; therefore, they are searching for such services or platforms that have advertisements with zero financial cost for a consumer.

Facts & Insights

Increase in the Utilization of Online Streaming Sites: As of 2023, the media consumption of video streaming is supposed to be the fastest-growing segment, and entertainment would be almost wholly derived from the OTT platforms, while traditional entertainment, cable, and networks are least utilized.

Emergence of Short Format Videos: Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels have contributed to the popularity of short format videos, making it common for users to create and watch numerous 15- to 60-second videos daily.

Interactive Videos: Interactive features within videos, such as shopping videos or live queries, are already commonplace among social networks and streaming video networks.

Move Toward Mobile Devices: A story is told about most videos watched moving away from the television set straight onto a mobile phone in as little as this decade, with over 75% of the world’s video data being that of mobile viewing by 2025.

The Love for Gaming and Esports: In 2025, the number of esports enthusiasts worldwide will reach 500 million; hence, this becomes part of the dynamics in the business world of online video entertainment.

Content Customization: Content streaming applications are applying artificial intelligence together with machine learning in trying to make contextual suggestions for movies and series that users might like depending on the history of the customer, besides a few other factors.

Content Glitz at the Global Level: More tabbing of the internet has allowed people to consume streaming services and their contents in several languages and styles, especially in developing countries.

Market Segment

Based on the content

Film and television series

Sports and events Inclusive of Others

Users’ self-contributed content (UGC)

Video production was done for the purpose of music.

Electronic Sports and Gaming

Based on Type of Platform

SVOD

AVOD

TVOD

Free Videos—YouTube, Dailymotion

At Scale of Type of Device

Mobile (smartphone and tablet)

Smart TV

Personal Computers & Laptops

VR headsetsand other wearable devices

On the Geographical Front

North America

Europe

APAC

LATAM

MEA

Industry Leader

1. Netflix. The platform most used to stream series, shows, and movies has a huge base of customers subscribing to video-on-demand services, specifically SVOD.

2. YouTube. Perhaps the most popular recording and streaming services on the globe after Google right now remain in the number one position in terms of visits and time spent watching videos.

3. Amazon Prime Video. To go head to head with competitors, Amazon provides Prime Video for users that counts as another service filled with some good share of films, seasons, or even original shows.

4. Disney Plus also took the lead over all the other platforms very fast due to its wide range of Disney films, Marvel series, Star Wars films, and series.

5. TikTok. Simply because TikTok has altered the concept, there has been a significant shift in the way younger people enjoy video content.

6. Twitch. If there is one service that comes to people’s minds with regard to live streaming, especially in the context of gaming and e-sports, it would be Twitch.


Frequently Asked Questions

To begin streaming, an individual must have access to a reliable internet connection, a streaming application such as OBS Studio, and a device that supports both watching and streaming.
- SVOD, or Spending VOD Users pay a fee to access available content, commonly referred to as a subscription (e.g., Netflix). - AVOD—Ad-based Video on Demand video content delivery where the user accesses it without charges but has to deal with ad interruptions (e.g., YouTube). - TVOD—Transactional Video On Demand More like pay-per-view services, where users are asked to pay for specific videos/movies (e.g., the ‘rent or buy a movie’ feature on Amazon).
The trends in the duration of viewers' attention spans have led to the creation of short-form content, such as TikTok, which is typically easily consumable and available on mobile devices. Limited content length has also encouraged the creation of short forms like TikTok, as the content typically fits into easily consumable and mobile-friendly formats.
This is where monetizing control over video works. Okay. You make money through adverts in the video (YouTube), scrape information from users, and charge them by subscription (Patrons/Vlog CoD), product placement in the video ‘active’ advertising, putting more cost into the videos with sales of video or renting out of the video (Over-The-Top (OTT) VIMEO), and the creation of the video ‘passive’ advertising.
The online video & entertainment industry uses ever more sophisticated communication technologies such as VR/AR technology, real storytelling augmented with interactivity, and AI-supported learning to offer engaging and pleasurable viewing-watching experiences.