Comcast Advertising and FreeWheel have jointly published a report titled “Content Discovery in a Multiscreen TV World: Surfing and Scrolling in a Sea of Content.” This global study delves into the trends of consumer behaviour regarding the navigation and discovery of TV content across both traditional and streaming platforms. The report extensively analyzes data from the United States along with five prominent European countries, namely the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.
The recent findings from Comcast Advertising and FreeWheel arrive at a critical juncture for the industry, where audiences increasingly navigate across various apps and services to find desired content. According to the report, only 25% of surveyed viewers express satisfaction with accessing all their content from a single source. Furthermore, the report’s custom insights and actionable recommendations are aimed at empowering platforms and content owners to refine their offerings and elevate the overall consumer experience.
The report reveals two-thirds of European viewers spend over six minutes searching for content to watch, while 46% express frustration over the challenge of discovering new content.
Emmanuel Josserand, Senior Director, Brand, Agency, & Industry Relations at FreeWheel, said, “The amount of content audiences have access to today is seemingly limitless and as it fragments across more platforms and devices, consumers are clearly overwhelmed with how to choose. Since discovery plays a large part in the user experience, these findings offer invaluable insights into how providers can enhance the navigation experience. This in turn will result in more opportunity to engage viewers with relevant ads and build brand sentiment.”
Other Insights from the Comcast Advertising and FreeWheel report reveals:
· 51% of European viewers and 55% of American viewers rely on recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues, revealing the important role of social circles in content discovery.
· 75% of European viewers highlighted genre as a key consideration, with situational factors and genre preferences emerging as influential determinants of viewers’ choices.
· 55% of EU5 viewers initiated their search through channel surfing or scrolling through program guides or apps which showcases channel surfing remaining a prevalent method of content discovery.
· 53% of EU5 viewers discover and watch content recommended on their home screens, which underscores the importance of individual platforms in shaping viewers’ content choices.
· 85% of viewers from both the US and EU5 expressed the likelihood of watching content if they had previously encountered an ad or trailer, which signifies the importance of promotional efforts such as promos and native ads.