NPAW: Daily VOD Engagement Surged in 2023

A new report from video streaming analytics firm NPAW has found that the amount of time the average user spends watching content per day increased for the first time in 2023 after two years of declines.

VOD daily engagement was up by 12 percent, rising to 52.5 minutes, while for linear TV it was up 4 percent, according to the 2023 Video Streaming Industry Report. In VOD daily engagement, North America was up 24 percent to 79 minutes, Europe 2 percent to 77 minutes, Asia 1 percent to 31 minutes, the Pacific by 10 percent to 98 minutes, the Middle East by 10 percent to 53 minutes and LatAm by 11 percent to 51 minutes. Linear engagement fell by 9 percent to 43 minutes in North America, 14 percent in Asia to 17 minutes and 27 percent in the Pacific to 37 minutes. In Europe it was flat at 61 minutes, while LatAm grew by 10 percent to 22 minutes and the Middle East 6 percent to 33 minutes.

Another key finding is that episodic content dominates VOD streaming consumption, at 67 percent of total global playtime. Movies edged up slightly for a 26 percent share. The big screen extended its dominance, increasing its share of playtime by up to 8 percentage points, driven by the growth of smart TVs.

“​​These findings underscore a significant year of renewal and growth for the streaming sector,” said Ferran G. Vilaró, CEO and co-founder of NPAW. “The increase of up to 12 percent in daily playtime per user, coupled with tangible improvements in the quality of experience, highlights how the industry is consolidating and evolving to meet and exceed viewer expectations.”

Vilaró added: “As providers navigate this journey of optimization, leveraging deep end-user behavior and experience data will be crucial in capturing the attention and loyalty of consumers. Understanding the insights derived from NPAW’s 2023 Video Streaming Industry Report will play a pivotal role in shaping successful streaming strategies moving forward.”