TheSoul Publishing, the award-winning, global digital studio, released the results of its study on consumer content trends, revealing that consumers are seeking experiential features more than ever before while multi-screening is becoming the norm.
The survey includes results from more than 6,000 respondents in the UK, Germany and the US, aiming to understand how their viewing and content consumption habits have changed over the last year.
“As a global content studio, we’re always keeping our finger on the pulse of what’s next – whether it is upcoming content trends or major shifts in consumer behavior,” said TheSoul Publishing’s VP of Platform Partnerships, Victor Potrel. “The findings from TheSoul Publishing’s study show what we know to be true – that audiences are constantly evolving, especially in today’s fast-paced social media landscape. Viewers, more than ever, want to be a part of the experience, and content creators have to fulfil these needs to find success.”
Key findings pointed to numerous trends tied to the growth of the digital universe and the rise of short-form and experiential video content across social media:
“Multi-screening” is the new normal
Following the massive rise in remote work culture worldwide over the last year, multi-screening seems to have become the new multitasking as people consume a variety of content at once. 66% of the survey respondents indicated that they regularly use multiple screens whilst relaxing, a trend that has grown immensely since last year. People aged 35-44 were the most likely (72%) to report that they are regularly multiscreening, while those aged 55+ were the least likely (39%) to regularly engage with content via multiple devices.
Short-form content has given rise to mobile viewing
70% of respondents said that they prefer to watch short form videos on their phones, with women being keener (77%) to watch short form videos on their phone than men (58%). At the same time, on a global scale, people are now watching fewer short form video content on their computers compared to 2020.
The instruction manual is dead – YouTube the primary source for learning new skills
More than 60% of the respondents rely on YouTube to learn a new skill or get instructions, with just 12% saying that they would use a printed instruction manual as a source. Actually, more people would turn to a relative, such as a parent / grandparent, to learn something than use an instruction manual. Also, 14% would take a class to enrich their skills with the percentage being at its highest point (20%) in ages between 16-24. Furthermore, we observe an increasing trend of people turning to TikTok for information with Gen Z being the group that uses the platform the most (39%) and people aged 55+ the ones that use it the least (4%).
Interactive and live content are no longer consumer wants, they’re expectations
Respondents stated that they would like to see more shopping features (24%), virtual reality (23%), digital animation (20%), and gaming themed content (20%) in their short-form video content suggesting consumers no longer want to just consume, but also partake. This means creators with a call-to-action of interactive and live content will better capture consumers’ attention in the years to come.
Currently, just under half of the respondents worldwide indicate that they are more likely to watch “live” content on YouTube (46%), followed by Instagram (34%), TikTok and Facebook (33% each), then Snap (11%), and Twitch (9%). TikTok is building its reputation for live content amongst young people (16-24) with 49% saying they now turn to the platform for the feature. We also observe this trend to be quite evident among millennials too (34%).
Fun and positive online content is a necessity, not a superfluity
You are what you watch? 76% of survey respondents agreed that “fun and positive online video content will become an even more important and popular source of entertainment”, indicating that viewers prefer entertaining videos more than any other kind. There is no doubt that during the tough times of the pandemic, people needed more optimistic content that would take their minds off the heavy news.
Laughs, music and gaming
Music / music videos top the list of the types of short online videos that people have been watching for the last 6 months (50%). Comedy videos have a 47% preference, cooking and baking videos have a 41% preference, beauty videos have a 33% preference, and gaming videos have a 30% preference. The DIY videos seem to be more popular among women (30%), with the percentage being high among people aged 25-34.
Attention spans are waning, and content needs are changing as a result
Compared to previous surveys across all demographics, we observed a decrease in the ability to concentrate when reading long articles or watching long video content, which includes videos of 10 minutes or longer. Nearly half of people (49%) report difficulty focusing, with men reporting a slightly higher percentage (50%) than women (48%). The percentage is impressively higher among millennials (55%).
The King of content. Knowing your audience is key to growth
No idea what to watch next? Responders share that both YouTube and Netflix offer the best recommendations (22%), followed by TikTok (13%), Instagram (9%), and Amazon Prime (8%).
Additionally, people are most confident in the future of TikTok, with 31% of consumers saying that TikTok will be the most popular platform in 2026. A further 18% of respondents believed YouTube would be the second most popular platform in five years, followed by Instagram (15%) and Facebook (12%). It’s clear that viewers are becoming more conscious of trends and how platforms react to their preferences, which will ultimately impact where they choose to consume content in the future.
While it’s no surprise that the social landscape is constantly unearthing new digital trends, these survey findings make it evident how intertwined reality and the virtual landscape have become. Consumers not only expect more from their digital experiences, but they also rely, adapt, and build habits around them, making the role of content creators increasingly important.
The survey, with responses from more than 6,000 men and women in the US, UK and Germany, was conducted by Censuswide in November 2021.
