Ampere: Micro-Dramas Draw Huge Global Viewer Numbers

More than one in ten internet users have watched drama episodes lasting ten minutes or less on social media, according to a new global survey of 100,000 consumers by Ampere Analysis.

“Shorter scripted drama platforms are capitalizing on the increasing use of vertical videos customized for phone viewing, particularly among younger audiences,” said Minal Modha, research director and head of sports media, sponsorship and consumer research at Ampere Analysis. “On average, internet users spend nearly 50 mins a day watching videos on social media, rising to over an hour for 18- to 34-year-olds. Thus, commissioners of mini- and micro-dramas can use social platforms in two main ways: first, show all episodes on services like YouTube and generate advertising revenue, or second, tease the content on TikTok or Instagram before enticing audiences onto subscription apps such as DramaBox.”

Though audiences of all ages are watching micro-dramas, viewers aged 18 to 34 are 21 percent more likely than the average viewer to have watched them in the past month.

Of those surveyed between the ages of 35 and 44, 23 percent reported having watched a micro-drama in the past month. 19 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds reported the same. The 45-to-54 set was close behind, with 18 percent saying they had viewed a micro-drama recently. Only 13 percent of the 55-to-64 demographic reported watching this type of content in the past month.

Engagement with mini-dramas is strongest in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, reflecting mobile-first usage in those markets. In comparison, audiences in Europe are less likely than average to have watched a micro-drama in the past month.

YouTube is the most popular destination for viewers, with 44 percent of those who have watched a micro-drama doing so on the platform. TikTok follows close behind at 38 percent.