by Joshua Cagan, Yichu Chen, Minwhan Chao, Connor Desmond, Devyn Hinkle, and Jessica Paek

In case you missed it, Part One of this article demonstrated how consumption habits are changing with younger generations and what that means for long-form, quality content.

Research Methodology

A survey was conducted in order to gather insight into IND18-35 (Gen Z and Millennials) media consumption habits, desires, and social media use. This survey allows recommendations to be made for organizations marketing toward this audience.

The consumer survey focuses on the differences between how and why younger generations consume video content, both linear and streaming, compared to short-form content. The survey was distributed through a premium quiz software, Opinion Stage, and comprised questions about respondents' viewing habits, device habits, platforms of choice, interactions, and social media influences. The survey was distributed during the second week of January and ran through the first two weeks of February. 525 organic responses were collected, though because several participants did not fit age or geographic criteria, 500 responses were usable for the purposes of the study.

Results

What do they watch?

From the outset, respondents gave a robust scope on the preferred genre and form of content. In the survey, about 35% of respondents showed they either only or mostly watch long-form content, compared to 24% who said they either only or mostly watch short-form content. However, a plurality of the respondents has taken an indifferent stance between long-form and short-form content, as 41% said they watch both equally. The gap between preferences for linear TV and streaming was much more apparent. In a separate question, about 87% of participants responded they either only or mostly watch streaming, whereas 2% said they either only or mostly watch linear TV, validating the cord-cutting trends of IND18-35 consumers.

Respondents showed the strongest affinity, among different long-form genres, towards Scripted series as 86% marked the genre as their favorite while 8% chose Unscripted and 6% chose Live Events (i.e., sports or award shows). Within Scripted series, Comedy and Drama were equivalent as the top genre with 40% of respondents for each; only 5% chose procedural as their favorite genre. The biggest appeal of long-form content is storyline. Around 42% of respondents said that storyline/plot is the top reason they would choose long-form over short-form, while 24% ranked high-quality as their top reason.

Figure 1: Top reasons to choose short-form over long-form

Respondents' top favorite short-form and long-form genre was Comedy. Over 43% replied that Comedy was their favorite short-form genre, whereas the Lifestyle genre tailed behind with 31%. Among the same respondents, 54% chose short-form over long-form to pass the time, and 30% said they prefer short-form as these shows target their niche subjects of interest, as shown in figure 1. These shows are quick and easy to watch, and this instant gratification seems to be the greatest appeal to IND18-35. With users generating so much content, combined with complex algorithms, it has become much easier for consumers to be provided with shows that resonate on a personal level.

How do they watch?

Though content preferences are important, this research is also interested in how individuals are consuming content—the platforms involved in their decision-making processes, how attentive they are when watching different content, and how they interact with content. Per the survey, word-of-mouth is the most effective way to influence IND18-35 consumers to watch a long-form show. As figure 2 shows, 46% of respondents replied that was the mode of introduction to the show they are currently watching. Following that, 39% said they find shows via social media, which is significantly higher than other media channels on the list, including TV advertisements (8%), online ads (6%), and published reviews (1%). Moreover, 41% of respondents noted TikTok as their preferred short-form platform, followed by YouTube with 36%.

Given that word-of-mouth is neither a platform nor a channel where marketing campaign strategies can be physically distributed, social media is the most practical channel for studios to market new shows to Gen Z and millennial consumers. Moreover, respondents seem to actively engage with short-form content on social media. Nearly 84 percent of respondents responded that they interact with short-form content. Granted, short-form platforms will always have an accessibility advantage, but insights from the study could prove helpful to long-form platforms attempting to implement new components for younger audiences.

Industry Interviews

To better understand the intrinsic motivations of IND18-35 consumers, two psychologists we interviewed with clientele who largely fall within this age range. We also conducted qualitative interviews with media experts who work directly with long-form quality content or have previous professional experience research on IND18-35 audiences. We tailored the questions to each interviewee according to their expertise. In general, questions were asked of industry experts on topics related to younger generations' viewing habits, industry trajectory/trends, or content strategies. We posed questions to psychologists that honed in on the preference of short-form over long-form content, user experience on streaming platforms, and prioritization of plot and storyline when selecting long-form content. Behavioral psychology is also a topic of focus in interviews, with consumption habits of IND18-35 being assessed as responses to social pressure, a need for community acceptance, and a survival instinct of mental avoidance.

Insights and Analysis

Psychologists

The first interview was with a psychotherapist based out of New York (anonymously referred to as interviewee #1). Her clients mainly fall within the IND18-35 age range, and thus, she is adept at pinpointing and garnering insights into issues affecting those consumers. Because consumers within this range experience more anxiety on average than older consumers, they seek coping mechanisms more frequently (Goodwin et al., 2020). Thus, because of its accessibility and easily digestable content, short-form content has evolved into a coping mechanism. (Interviewee #1, personal communication February 13, 2022). Brains do not default to a preference for short-form content, but because consumers are inundated with an endless barrage of short-form content through social media, they have become hard-wired to expect instant gratification. The psychologist interviewed attributed this to expeditious work cultures created for IND18-35 consumers and a longing to distract themselves and avoid unpleasant content from other streams. The psychologist mentioned, “we want the punchline really quickly”, and when that ‘punchline’ is not delivered within seconds, consumers are unable to distract themselves from other unpleasant thoughts for which they seek avoidance.

The psychologist interviewed also referenced a social component, both pertaining to short-form and long-form content wherein virality indicates the content chosen by consumers. The more social impressions for a piece of content, the more attractive it becomes to audiences. However, it is not an inherent need for clout that guides consumer decision-making, but according to the psychologist, community. She stated, “If someone can tap into that feeling of social necessity, they can sell anything. If you can tap into that primal need for community, you can sell anything” (personal communication, February 13, 2022). Therein lies another advantage for short-form, user-generated content: it is created by and for a community.

Social media is a useful tool for creating a robust content marketing strategy and can also be used for UX design. Easily meme-able content drives traffic and ignites conversations on social media, and studios can easily adapt similar content and language to drive social campaigns. Within their platforms, viewership metrics, rankings, and messaging features can mimic the interpersonal features of social media, thus creating more traffic on the platform and also giving consumers an impetus to increase their time on the platform. Likewise, highlighting trending content–as Netflix famously does already–will direct users to shows with established communities, fulfilling their intrinsic social needs.

The second psychologist (Interviewee #2) interviewed was a rehabilitation counselor based in Pittsburgh, PA. She discussed the abilities of influencers to reach a large audience and the disconnects and distrust between many IND18-35 consumers and companies on social media. According to her, companies can improve social impressions by adapting the language and formatting used among IND18-35 users. Using social media to address these consumers is just one facet of a two-pronged approach; in order to successfully market to Gen Z and Millennials, companies must adjust their marketing materials to fit the jargon already used on social media.

The best way to create trustworthy, relatable marketing is by empowering fans and influencers to conduct marketing on the company’s behalf. As stated by Interviewee #2, companies do not have the same level of trust and clout on social media that is garnered by personal accounts and high-profile influencers (Interviewee #2, personal communication March 17, 2022). Not only are influencers in general viewed as being free of corporate objectives, but those of the same age as the target audience have adopted jargon and posts accepted by that consumer group. IND18-35 influencers’ media posts are less likely to be bypassed by those seeking to avoid advertisements, and because their follower base skews younger, they are more likely to capture the attention of younger consumers through their social media posts.

Entertainment Industry Experts

The key to winning back the attention of younger consumers lies in social media. Delving into different appeals that short-form content poses to younger consumers, it became more clear that, other than the content itself, “it is also the way people access to content that makes it more attractive to a younger audience” as said by a producer at Toonstar (personal communication, March 10, 2022.) Different industry professionals have said such a statement or at least implied so as we interviewed, emphasizing the significance of understanding how young consumers get exposed to content and how to utilize those channels. As the producer further details, “it really has to do with finding where the target audience is sitting and existing already, and then how best to reach them through those platforms they’re mostly using.” In that sense, “Social media is definitely the main platform and strategy to attract the younger generation.”, says a Senior Vice President of Entertainment and Media Tech. (Personal communication, March 7, 2022).

Yet, it is imperative organizations further their social media strategies beyond uploading marketing content, according to a Director of Consumer Insights and Research, who notes “Social media comes in creating a community around those (content) and being able to share it.” (Personal communication, March 10, 2022). To effectively leverage the power of social media in reaching users, organizations must strategize their marketing content with the help of the users and how they “create ripples online through their ability to connect with other like-minded people online” (SVP of Entertainment, personal communication, March 7, 2022).

Taking advantage of social media is a must for organizations to reach consumers. Yet, these interviews have also demonstrated that organizations may integrate some social features into their platforms to drive more engagement. For example, as suggested by one interviewee, a chat feature for show premieres and availability to replay chats later would build a sense of community among viewers. Or, a streaming platform may even grant individual account profiles to share their watchlist with their connections and instigate social interactions, creating more value for the platform's subscription cost. Overall, the goal is "to create more of a feeling of liveness and simultaneity" and, more importantly, "the ability for people engaged with something to find each other," (SVP of Entertainment, personal communication, March 7, 2022). It circles back to the Director of Consumer Insights’ emphasis on creating a community, as "community adds a lot of richness and immersion, a whole new dimension of experience" (personal communication, March 10, 2022.)

Another appeal of short-form content for younger consumers is how "there are so many different content niches" these consumers can fall into (producer, personal communication, March 10, 2022). Peck pointed out younger consumers seek content that speaks to their interests or things relatable to them, and these niches resonate with them. In the end, content with targeted interests drives more engagement among these younger generations, especially as they are the generations who center their consumption choices around their sense of identity. The niche-focused content strategy certainly is "a viable content business model" for short-form platforms, as they are “dealing with the most engaged audience members right off the bat.”

Organizations can’t rule out a mass appeal from their content strategy as “price tags are higher and thus demand higher revenues to be sustainable,” as mentioned by Peck. Studios can make content primarily targeting more specific audience groups and use those groups as anchors to reach out to a broader audience in their social community. Ultimately, the goal is to build communities that attract more Gen Z and Millennial viewers.

Final Analysis

Content consumption is largely driven by the plot or storyline, the quality, and word-of-mouth and social campaigns. The survey data shows a majority of IND18-35 consumers indicate they consume a combination of both types of studio-produced and short-form content. However, each content form is used for specific purposes by this segment, with a majority of survey respondents using short-form content to pass the time while a majority of respondents indicated turning to long-form content for the storyline, characters, and high-quality components. Much like short-form, trends in long-form viewership are often dictated by social cues — a built-in advantage for the highly accessible, internet-based streaming platforms. Indeed, 85% of respondents indicated word-of-mouth and social media as the top sources for content suggestions. Though short-form content may have structural advantages, the data and insights provided by the survey and interviews can offer directives for organizations.

Create Highly Targeted Content to Attract a Strong Initial Audience

One of the major advantages of short-form content is that, because the content is extremely inexpensive for users to create and completely free for the platform, each service has a near-infinite amount. As a result, anyone can find content on any subject in which they are interested, no matter how niche. According to animation Producer John Peck, “people are seeking out the content that speaks to either their very niche interests or things that are relatable to them” (Producer, personal communication, March 10, 2022). With such a surplus of content available—both from short-form platforms and the explosion of streaming platforms—viewers have more choices than ever. Instead of watching a show carefully designed for all consumers, each individual is now able to find something they personally will love. This depth of material not only draws viewers from long-form and to short-form, but it also changes the way those viewers interact with the content. Because their audience is easily able to find content with which they strongly identify, the Producer argues, short-form platforms are “dealing with the most engaged audience members right off the bat” (Producer, personal communication, March 10, 2022). In order to regain the interest of younger audiences, companies should alter content to initially target specific yet highly engaged groups that act as advocates, helping to grow the show’s audience over time through word of mouth.

This recommendation is based on two observations. First, people use different social media platforms in relation to studio content. It is important that organizations understand who is going to each platform and for what reason, should they decide to target their content by platform. Amongst all respondents (those who preferred long-form and short-form, Tik Tok is the most popular short-form platform. However, among those who prefer short-form over long-form content (meaning they indicated they only or mostly watch short-form content), YouTube is the most popular. Youtube is used more often by those who do not watch studio content. Studios are not competing with Tik Tok, but Youtube.

The second observation made was what drew users to different short-form platforms. Only 30% of all respondents indicated “Niche Subject Matters of Interest” as the primary motivation for watching short-form content. The first choice by far was “to Pass the Time” at 54%. Filtering these results through favorite platforms shows a telling shift in results. Among those who chose YouTube as their preferred platform, “Niche” is by far the most popular at 44%, as compared to “Time” in second place at 38%. The increase from 30% of all respondents to 44% of YouTube-specific respondents shows that niche subject matter is an important draw to YouTube. YouTube. Taken together with the first observation, one can conclude that many Gen Z viewers choose YouTube over studio content in order to find content that closely aligns with them and their specific interests.

Leverage social media to build community

Social media is infused into the daily lives of Gen Z and Millennials. In order to reach and meaningfully engage with IND18-35, organizations should build a thoughtful social media presence to funnel the IND18-35 community to specific content. Initially, organizations should identify existing Gen Z and Millennial parties as key stakeholders and partner with them to create interactive, promotional content on social media. The focus should be on TikTok and YouTube as 75% of survey respondents ranked one of these platforms as their primary source of short-form content.

By identifying fans as stakeholders, organizations can partner with audiences to promote content in a way for those audiences to connect. For example, organizations could build digital assets that fans ideate, such as GIPHY stickers or AR filters, and seed the assets. back to them. The next step would be to monitor their content for meaningful social impressions. Likewise, by cultivating a sense of ownership of their content, fans would be incentivized to continue promoting the organization and encourage a wider future follower base.

In 2020, HBOMax brought on college students to launch the company’s TikTok presence by providing them with shareable audio clips from “Euphoria”. The video, which sparked the trend of Euphoria fans recreating their favorite makeup looks from the show, was viewed over 4.6 million times and liked 1.2 million times (Sutton, 2020). Similarly in 2020, Netflix sponsored young content creators on TikTok for their “Bridgerton” campaign, asking fans to record comedy skits and commentaries in response to scenes from the show.

Figure 3: User-generated for *Bridgerton* via MyLondon

Consequently, the Bridgerton hashtag amassed over 6.8 billion views. This explosive social presence was a large factor in elevating the show to reach over 82 million households within the first four weeks (Whateley, 2021).

Organizations should partner with Gen Z and Millennial fans to communicate through the “if you know, you know” language the community will resonate with—a version of “fear of missing out” where viewers will feel obligated to be up to date with current trends.

Conclusion

“Architecture was dethroned. The stone letters of Orpheus gave way to the lead letters of Gutenberg. The book will kill the edifice” (Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1831). Victor Hugo was very concerned the printing press would destroy the art of architecture—that mass literature would make the previous form of mass communication obsolete. He wrote The Hunchback of Notre Dame before historical preservation was a widely known or considered issue and when the Notre Dame Cathedral was in danger of being demolished or forgotten. Thanks in part to his work, the cathedral persisted. Architecture as an art form survived the coming of literacy, just as literacy survived the coming of film and film the coming of television. The birth of a new medium does not necessitate the death of an old one. However, in each of those cases, the established medium had to work to stay relevant.

These three strategies will create relevance in the age of social media and engage their Gen Z and Millennial viewers:

Create content targeted towards a specific audience that will serve as advocates for that content.
Partner with those advocates and allow TikTok users to use content from your organization, which will serve to advertise and create a loyal, invested community.
Develop social features that turn web platforms into social platforms, incentivizing users to interact with their peers and engaging younger demographics with shorter attention spans—as well as extend word of mouth.

Gone are the days that a television episode like M.A.S.H.’s 1983 finale could be viewed by over 100 million people at the same time (Andrews, 2018); however, this change does not necessarily indicate the end of long-form content. Netflix’s Squid Game managed to be watched by well over 100 million people across the globe (Solsman, 2021). Yellowjackets, a show distributed by Paramount through its Showtime channel, recently became the second most- watched series for Showtime, attracting over 5 million average weekly viewers (King, 2022). It is unlikely that either of these shows—a Korean-language drama and a survival/horror series starring mostly women—would have been able to find such an audience had they been made four decades ago. Television is not

Andrews, T. M. (2018, February 28). 106 million people watched 'M.A.S.H.' finale 35 years ago. no scripted show since has come close. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/02/28/106-million-people-watched-mash-finale-35-years-ago-no-scripted-show-has-come-close-since/
King, J. (2022, January 19). 'yellowjackets' season 1 becomes second most-watched series in Showtime history. Collider. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://collider.com/yellowjackets-season-1-record-viewers-showtime/#:~:text=The%20series%20has%20averaged%20over,audience%20for%20the%20series%20premiere.
Solsman, J. E. (2021, November 17). Netflix's squid game was even bigger than you thought -- 2.1B hours big. CNET. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://www.cnet.com/news/netflix-squid-game-is-even-bigger-than-you-thought-2-billion-hours-big/#:~:text=Squid%20Game%2C%20at%201.65%20billion,at%20625%20million%20hours%20watched.
Sutton, K. (2020, October 12). HBO Max's secret to viral tiktoks: Interns Run the account. Adweek. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/hbo-max-secret-viral-tiktoks-interns/
Whateley, Dan (2021 16 March). Exclusive Data Shows the 10 Brands That Gained the Most TikTok Followers in the Last Year, Including Netflix, Overtime, and Barstool Sports. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-and-espn-added-most-tiktok-followers-among-brands-research-2021-3.