Profiling the social media footprint of niche entertainment audiences for Web 3

The 20,000 foot view

Entertainment audiences are evolving, with digital-first habits – driven by both lockdowns and technology innovations – changing their relationship to the content they consume. Big hits are now just as likely to result from going viral on social media as through traditional paid mass-marketing campaigns. Fans are now choosing to ‘lean-through’, creating covers, memes, and even their own related content using social creator tools. In this environment, it is more important than ever to understand entertainment audiences and their relationship with social platforms: where is best to find them, engage them, and retain them, and how best to inspire them to return. While audience segments may differ slightly in engagement, they are largely turning towards creative behaviours and personalisation of content feeds. This is particularly visible when related to ads, but the preference is apparent throughout their digital habits. It impacts which platforms they use and how they use them – with the likes of Reddit and Twitch fostering a preference for anonymous fan communities, whereas the more lean-in audiences prefer immediate social-first networks on apps like Snapchat and Instagram.

Key Insights

• Most video            fans have roughly average distributions            social media usage, except for            fans, who significantly under-index for            use of most social platforms 
• While they            tuning out the social buzz,            ad-supported video on demand (AVOD)            are tuning in. High-volume AVOD            (those who spend            hours per            index higher than overall high-volume            for all social platform weekly           
• They also            over-index for every social media            most notably ‘creation’            compared to            all-consumer average           
• Audiobook and            listeners over-index for creative behaviour            social, with            of high audiobook            usually creating their own content            social media (compared to an            average), and            recreating with the            of duets and Reels (compared            a            all-consumer average)
• Both high            streamers and gig attendees are            engaged at all levels on            media, from likes / comments            shares            each) to selling /            items            for streamers,            for gig            all the way to creation                       respectively)
• Google Stadia            Apple Arcade, both relatively new-entrant            streaming subscriptions, have audiences who            over-index across all social media            Weekly active use of Reddit                       respectively), Discord            and            respectively), and                       and            respectively) are particularly high
• While these            cohorts engage on social a            they do not spend much            on social media platforms, with                       respectively only engaging for            hours            week
• Audiences who            ads only slightly under-index for            active use of social platforms,            Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram.            they over-index for weekly use            Discord            compared to            all-consumer average),                       compared to            and Reddit            compared                      
• High content            under-index strongly for viewing content            engaging            compared to the all-consumer            of            For them, social platforms            not necessarily social, but rather            personal marketing opportunities
• Live event            consumers are more likely to            on Snapchat            and Instagram            than            consumers            and            respectively). Live event            users are more likely to            social creators            than VR users            owners            whereas VR owners /            are far more likely to            without engaging            compared to           

Methodology Statement

The high and low consumer segments used in this report are based on the following survey question (question            in the MIDiA quarterly consumer survey):  “During the last WEEK how much TIME did you spend doing each of the following?”

Low consumer segments are those who said they spent zero hours or between one and five hours per week engaging in the specified consumer behaviour. High consumer segments are those who spend above six hours per week engaging in the specified consumer behaviour.

Companies and brands mentioned in this report :Apple Arcade, BandLab, DAZN, Discord, Facebook, Google Stadia, Instagram, Meta, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter, WhatsApp