More than one in 10 internet users have watched drama episodes lasting 10 minutes or less on social media, according to new research from Ampere Analysis.
The firm’s annual global survey of over 100,000 consumers shows ‘micro-dramas’ and ‘mini-dramas’ are gaining traction on social media. The top genres among micro-dramas are romance, anime, and fantasy.
As younger audiences spend more time with vertical short-form video on their phone, commissioners have begun using social platforms as distribution channels and as discovery funnels for premium apps, such as DramaBox and ReelShorts.
One of the key findings in the Ampere research is that micro-dramas skew towards young audiences. Viewers aged 18–34 are 21% more likely than the average viewer to have watched mini-dramas in the past month.
Engagement is strongest in Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, reflecting the mobile-first usage in these markets. In comparison, audiences in Europe are less likely than average to have watched in the past month.
According to the research, YouTube is the most popular destination for viewers, with 44% of those who have watched a mini-drama doing so on that platform. TikTok follows close behind at 38%.
Minal Modha, Research Director and Head of Sports Media, Sponsorship, and Consumer Research at Ampere Analysis, said: “Shorter scripted drama platforms are capitalising on the increasing use of vertical videos customised for phone viewing, particularly among younger audiences.
“On average, internet users spend nearly 50 mins a day watching videos on social media, rising to over an hour for 18–34-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.”
Research by Ampere Analysis has found that 38% of YouTube’s global monthly active users (MAUs) now watch traditional TV and film content on the platform. Discover more here.
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