With the news that Britons spent 40% of their waking hours watching TV during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s no doubt about the fact that online streaming services have done incredibly well this year.
Many people have been furloughed from their jobs, and with all that extra time on their hands and nowhere to go, it’s inevitable that people would turn to their TVs- especially during the colder months.
The Facts
The number of subscribers to the three most popular services in the UK – Netflix, Amazon and Disney+, hit over 32.4 million at the end of 2020, increasing by more than 8 million from the previous year, making viewing figures a record high.
Since streaming services did so well in 2020, you may be wondering whether these increased viewer numbers are going to stick around throughout 2021 and in the years that follow. Will these new digital behaviours continue post-lockdown? We think so. Here are just some of the reasons why streaming will remain popular even once lockdown is over:
People Are Now Committed To A Subscription
Many streaming services such as Netflix and Prime Video work on a subscription basis, and your monthly fee is often cheaper if you agree to a certain commitment length (usually a year). And even after that time frame is up, people may have become so accustomated to watching shows on their streaming service that they’re not willing to let it go.
Since streaming services are always adding new movies and shows to the mix, there’s never an opportunity to get through everything on the site. Whether they’re waiting for the sequel to their favourite show, or a film that they didn’t get the chance to see at the cinema, people will happily continue to pay their monthly amount to get the most out of their online streaming.
If you’re looking to launch your own streaming service while these platforms are still so popular, take a look at OTT services. These OTT platform providers will help to deliver a faster and more effective streaming service, providing consumers with an enhanced media experience that is a credit to your brand. Since they can offer you a guaranteed high-quality streaming platform, OTT services are the best place to go if you’re looking for a reliable, efficient service that’s guaranteed to get you results.
Lockdown Changed Our Downtime Habits
Before lockdown, lots of people had set habits regarding what they prefer to do in their downtime. But since everybody has no choice but to stay inside, habits like going for drinks with friends and having meals out may have changed for good.
If quizzed about the good things to come out of lockdown, you’d probably reference the fact that you ended up saving quite a bit of money. Money spent on days out can quickly add up, and some people don’t realise how much they’re spending until they’re no longer spending it anymore.
Because of this, lots of us may be resolved to go out less in order to save more money. Since streaming services are relatively cheap in comparison to the hospitality sector, it makes sense that all those who are conscious about cutting down on their monthly spending would choose to spend more time indoors, therefore making more use of online streaming services.
COVID May Not Be Gone For Good
The medium-term impact of the Coronavirus pandemic will be driven by the vaccine distribution, including the number of people who choose to be vaccinated, as well as new infections or strains of the virus, public health guidelines, and any long-term lockdown restrictions.
While the UK is well on its way to heading out of lockdown, there’s no knowing if (or when) the country could return into its fourth lockdown. Coronavirus isn’t going away anytime soon- and nor are online streaming services.
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