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.
Macquarie to sell Arqiva stake for £16.5m
Macquarie Asset Management has agreed to the sale of its 26.5% stake in broadcast infrastructure firm Arqiva for £16.5m.
Banijay UK beefs up in-house post operations
Banijay UK will increase its in-house post-production capabilities by launching new facilities in London, doubling capacity in Glasgow, and investing in Manchester.
Spain’s LaLiga agrees €5.25bn football rights with Telefónica and DAZN
Spanish football league LaLiga has agreed a new set of domestic media contracts for more than €5.25bn, with Telefónica and DAZN retaining rights from 2027 to 2032.
BBC remains popular but “must take a firmer grip” in crises, says Ofcom
Despite funding pressures and a rapidly changing media landscape, the BBC remains popular with audiences, with 83% of UK adults using its services weekly, according to media regulator Ofcom.
TikTok and YouTube trigger influencer boom among older audiences
Older internet users are fuelling the growth of influencer videos, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, which shows that half of 55- to 64-year-olds now watch influencer content every week.
