Live streaming has taken over the world. In a span of a few years, marketers have embraced live videos to engage their audience and present their brands in a new light. So, it’s safe to say that live videos are one of the most popular content types today.

As the popularity of live streaming increased, so did the number of ways to broadcast to viewers. Not only can brands stream their videos using a reliable live streaming platform, but they can also leverage social media to interact with followers in real-time. In fact, social media users love to consume live videos on these platforms.

Social media giants, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter all support live streaming, looking to attract the ever-growing base of live video fans. Apart from these networks, some platforms such as Twitch are focused on live stream viewers only. This proves how important broadcasts are today.

As some marketers are yet to embrace live streaming, brands might want to know if streaming live videos is worth their time. Here are 50 live streaming statistics that prove this content type is definitely worth anyone’s time!

General Live Streaming Statistics for 2021

It seems live streaming will reach its full potential in the years to come. Although quite popular today, this content type will become even more profitable to brands. That is because internet users want to watch raw, authentic footage and are willing to set aside their valuable time for that.

• The live streaming market is predicted to reach almost $250 billion by 2027. (Market Research Future)
• Live video usage will account for 13.2% of the global internet traffic by the end of 2021. (Truelist)
• Live content earns 27% more watch time than VOD content. (Conviva)
• 54% of live streaming content is about gaming. (Findstack)
• Overall, the live streaming industry experienced a 99% growth between April 2019 and April 2020. (Daily eSports)
• Twitch is a live streaming powerhouse, hosting 91% of streaming content. (Streamlabs & Stream Hatchet)

Who Watches Live Video

As most people might have expected, younger generations are the biggest fans of live streaming. While leading a fast-paced life, this audience base wants to consume content that is readily available, engaging, and personal.

• Millennials are the biggest fans of live content. 63% of them watch live streams regularly. (Earthweb)
• 15% of U.S. adults aged 18 to 34 say they watch live videos several times a day. (Statista)
• Around 60% of young adults primarily use online streaming services to watch TV. (Pew Research)
• More than half of viewers aged 18 to 49 don’t watch TV very much or don’t watch it at all. (eMarketer)
• About 40% of computer and mobile video viewers are aged 13 to 34. (Nielsen)

Viewing Habits

When it comes to consumer viewing habits, people are watching live streams now more than ever before. Live videos hold viewers’ attention much longer than other content types, which is useful for brands that want to move their customers down the sales funnel.

• 80% of people would rather watch live videos from brands than read a blog, while 82% prefer live streams to social media posts. (Livestream)
• Live videos hold viewers’ attention 10-20 times longer than pre-recorded, on-demand content. (Forrester)
• 7 out of 10 people who watch live streams tune in daily. (Interactive Advertising Bureau)
• By 2022, 27% of U.S. households will cancel their cable subscriptions. (Forbes)
• In 2020, more than 200 million people watched streaming or downloaded video across all devices in the U.S. (Statista)
• Adults in the United States watch video content on a computer for an average of 23 minutes. (Statista)
• People watch videos on a mobile device for an average of 16 minutes a day. (Statista)
• 56% of millennials are most likely to watch live streams on a smartphone, while 44% report they prefer a tablet. (Pipe Wolf Media)
• 67% of viewers deem quality to be the most important factor when watching a live stream. (Livestream)
• 56% of people are willing to pay for online streaming. (Earthweb)

What Live Stream Viewers Watch

Brands can live stream almost anything today. From Q&A sessions, product launches, and behind-the-scenes look, customers will watch live videos just as long as they are relevant and bring value to them.

• Sporting content accounts for 86% of live streamed content. (99 Firms)
• User-generated content accounts for 51% of live video content streamed on mobile devices. (State of Digital Publishing)
• Games are the most watched streaming categories on Twitch. (StreamElements)

Time Spent Watching Various Types of Online Video Content (in hours)

• TV shows: 5.8
• Movies: 4.6
• Social media / user-generated content: 3.7
• News: 2.9
• Sports: 2.2
• Video conferencing: 2.1
• Online learning: 2
• Video games: 1.6

Source: Statista

How Viewers Access Live Streaming Content

It doesn’t surprise us that social media networks are the go-to platforms for live video viewers. In just one click, users can access any live content that interests them and connect with their favorite brands.

The most popular online platforms for live streaming are:

• Twitch
• Facebook Live
• Instagram IGTV
• YouTube

Video Streaming Statistics for Businesses

With user attention spans decreasing, brands need to leverage marketing tools that hook and engage their audience in a matter of seconds. Video has proven to be effective as it can persuade customers to purchase a particular product or service. That is why more and more businesses will start using live video in the future.

• Around 80% of marketers say that video content is becoming more important in the business world.  (4CInsights)
• Brands are predicted to invest more than $100 billion in video content by 2023. (Forrester)
• In 2019, 55% of businesses were using live videos for their company broadcasts. (Haivision)
• 54% of consumers want to see more video content from businesses and brands they support. (HubSpot)
• 45% of live video viewers would pay for live, exclusive, or on-demand video from their favorite presenter. (Go-Globe)
• 67% of viewers are more likely to purchase a ticket for an event or a concert after watching a live video. (Eventbrite)
• Live video campaigns increase video engagement by twice as much for influencer marketing. (RhythmOne)
• Two-thirds of marketers who target consumers on the internet use live streaming for marketing. (Content Marketing Institute)

How Useful Live Streams Are for Marketing

When asked what type of videos they use to promote their products or services, the results showed that 35% of marketers rely on live videos to showcase their offerings. That just goes to show that live streams are as popular as ever in 2021!

• 35% of marketers leverage live video to promote their products or services. (Mediakix)
• 79% of marketers say live streams establish a more authentic interaction with an audience. (Go-Globe)
• 61% of marketing professionals state that a benefit of live videos is that this content can be viewed or repurposed later. (Go-Globe)
• 76.5% of businesses are seeing results with video marketing. (Animoto)
• Consumers are 39% more likely to share video content. (Forrester)
• Almost ¾ of millennials reveal that videos are helpful when they are comparing products while buying online. (TechJury)

Live Streaming and Monetization

Live streams can create an additional revenue stream for brands, especially if they introduce a fee viewers need to pay in order to access their live content. Besides this subscription-based model, brands can rely on ads to make a profit from live videos.

• Brands that use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video companies. (Wordstream)
• Online advertising revenue in the United States amounted to $140 billion in 2020. (Statista)
• Seventeen countries are expected to generate more than $1 billion in OTT revenues by 2023. (DigitalTV)
• More than a third of live video content creators monetize live content using subscription-based models. (Bitmovin)
• Subscription-based video on demand revenue is expected to increase by 11.25% each year, generating a market volume of $108 billion by 2025. (Statista)
• 52% of live stream viewers would prefer to watch ads than pay for a subscription. (Techjury)
• 45% of customers would pay for live videos from their favorite sports teams, speakers, or performers. (Livestream)
• The number of SVOD subscriptions is expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2026. (Statista)

Live Streaming Statistics 2021 [Infographic]

If these live streaming statistics persuaded you to grow your business with live streaming, TargetVideo has got your back! We can help you get started today!