When you think of streaming services, the well-known Netflix platform is not always the first one to come to mind. New streaming platforms are popping up like mushrooms. As a result of cut-throat competition with platforms such as Videoland and Disney+, Netflix lost subscribers for the first time in a decade. When it comes to (free) streaming services for podcasts, a new market seems to be emerging: will podcasts soon be behind the pay wall? To zoom in on the streaming behaviour of consumers, Validators and VU Amsterdam made a deep dive into the data of the Consumer Behaviour Monitor.
The streaming landscape is in a state of flux. For a long time, Netflix was the only streaming channel, but now there are countless platforms to choose from. I emphasise 'choose' because a subscription to every streaming service is unaffordable for most. In addition, the monthly costs for streaming services are getting higher and higher. At the same time, Netflix does not seem to be put down at the decline in subscribers, and various solutions are being considered. For example, it is possible that your Netflix account will soon become less easy to share with others. There is also a chance that the platform will offer a cheaper subscription that exposes you to commercials in between binging.
In the Consumer Behaviour Monitor, we see an increase in the percentage of people who have spent money on streaming services in the past weeks. In week 7 of 2022, 26% of the Dutch people spent money on streaming services. This percentage rose in week 11 to 30% and in week 15, even 35% of the Dutch people spends money on streaming services.
If we also look at the activity on the platforms, we see that in week 11, 8% of the Dutch population watched series/movies (e.g. Netflix, Videoland and Amazon Prime) more than 6 times a week in the two weeks prior, and in week 15 that percentage has risen to 11%. The percentage of 5-6 times per week has also risen slightly compared to week 11 (13%, +4%).
Market for podcasts grows into payment market
Finally, within the market of audio streaming services there is also a large change underway. The Danish platform Podimo, which describes itself as the largest podcast service in Europe, is now also available in the Netherlands. It is the first platform in the Netherlands that focuses on podcasts and audio books. Although all podcasts in the Netherlands have been virtually free to listen to until now, this market now seems to be facing a major change. If we look at the figures in the Consumer Behaviour Monitor we see that 18% of the Dutch people indicated in week 15 that they listened to a podcast once or several times a week. Whether this percentage will grow when the podcasts are put behind the payment wall, remains to be seen. The group that never listens to podcasts does seem to be getting smaller over time. In week 3, 71% of the Dutch people said they never listened to a podcast, in week 15 this percentage had decreased to 65%.
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