30 Vital Live Video Statistics for 2021

In today’s world, everyone is just a click away from going live on video and becoming an online celebrity. Live streaming lets people connect with their audience and create a relationship like no other. Marketers are also beginning to grasp the value of live video as a more personal way to present products and services. More or less, it is the reinvited live television of the 21st century. That’s why we compiled some essential live video statistics, underscoring the marketing potential of streaming, particularly in terms of creating brand awareness. So, read on to learn all about live videos and how you can incorporate them into your digital strategy.

• 63% of those aged between 18 and 34 watch live videos.
• Social media accounts for 52% of live video stream viewers in the US.
• 32% of marketers will include Facebook Live in their video marketing strategy. 
• 70% of viewers prefer YouTube over other live video platforms. 
• 80% of brand followers would rather watch a live video than read an article from a company.

The live video segment was already experiencing an increased demand for on-demand video and solid growth of the online video when the COVID-19 outbreak happened. The imposed lockdowns all over the world created an excessive thirst in consumers for more entertainment causing the market to soar. Projections are that by 2027, it will reach an incredible $184.27 billion mainly due to the implementation of blockchain technology and AI.

(Grand View Research)

As many as 42% of the people in the US choose to watch live video streams as a way to engage with their friends online. They have plenty of options too, with pretty much every social platform nowadays offering the service. Analysis conducted by Nielsen and MoffettNathanson also reveals watching sports events is the preferred entertainment option for US citizens with 86 of the top 100 most-watched live streams. 

(Livestream)

As suggested by live video statistics, Millennials and Gen Zers are the biggest live video audience. And they are also big on creating live videos with 42% of steam created by this age group. It’s hardly surprising given that those generations have grown up in the age of online communication. They also love interacting with the creators of live videos, follow them on different social media, and even consider streamers celebrities. 

(Neil Patel)

Live video marketing statistics reveal more than one-third of marketers are reaping the benefits of this type of digital marketing. The number of marketers who use live video marketing as a basic part of their media campaigns is growing by the year (up from 23% last year). A massive 63% of marketers meanwhile intend to increase the use of live video because of the excellent results it delivers to their marketing campaigns. 

(Mediakix)

According to streaming stats, around 70% of video fans worldwide have streamed some form of video content. Additionally, a little over 50% prefer this content to be ad-supported and free, as opposed to subscription-tied and à la carte services. The upside of this preference to streaming marketing is that 64% of people who streamed a live video engaged with an ad (pre-roll or sponsored). 

(IAB)

Over the years, social media has evolved and brought live streaming on the table. Live video statistics show that more than half of the audience of live streaming comes from social media. The video streaming option has attracted big news companies like CNN, CBS, and FOX to stream their news on social media more often than usual. Social media live streaming is also widely used by commercial brands like Sony, Apple, and others as a way to announce new features and products and generate more buzz online. 

(eMarketer)

Back in 2017, Cisco’s streaming statistics had suggested that live video usage would increase 15X in the next five years and account for 13% of global internet traffic by 2021. The growing engagement of consumers and the growth of live streaming rather than article reading/writing has resulted in new projections. Namely, by 2022, live video usage is set to account for close to 20% of the global internet traffic. 

(Fierce Video, Dacast)

And no, this is not some galaxy far far away — it’s right here. In 2019, all of us collectively watched an astonishing 1.5 million years of live streams. This translates to around 12.7 billion hours of live video, up by almost 2 billion compared to 2018 when we enjoyed 10.3 billion hours of live video.

(TNW)

Fidji Simo, the woman in charge of Facebook Video, said that 20% of all videos on the social network are streamed live, while the watch time of streams has increased four times in just one year. The main reason is the changes the Facebook team made with the platform. Users can now experience more social, fun, and engaging content, while extra features give publishers more options.

(Facebook)

Facebook live video statistics show that in the period from the start until the 15-minute mark, the engagement of streamed videos on the social network increases exponentially. After that, the viewer count stabilizes and remains the same until the end of the video. This happens since not everyone receives live broadcasts notifications. Even though Facebook states there is no such delay, users have reported it on many occasions.

(BuzzSumo)

Facebook Live is the #1 live video streaming platform in the US, with 17% of the market share. Social media live streaming statistics further show that YouTube Live came in close with 16%. After that comes Snapchat with 12%, followed by Periscope with 9%, Meerkat with 17%, and Twitter with 12%.

(Statista)

If you’re a marketer looking for insights on how top digital marketing companies boost their strategy with live video marketing, this might interest you. Facebook-streamed videos generate six times more comments than uploaded videos, according to Facebook live video stats. The main reason behind this is likely the new experiences that live videos bring to the user. Users now can express their excitement, opinions, and criticism, and discuss it all with the creator or other users.

(Mediakix)

Facebook Live was made available to celebrities back in 2015 and was launched for the rest of the social network’s community a year later. The feature has since seen a massive spike in daily searches coming from popular influencers and other big events. From 2016 to 2018, ‘Facebook Live’ searches grew by 330% and according to Facebook Live stats, a record was reached on New Year’s Eve when 10 million Facebook users were live streaming. 

(MediaKix)

This is because everyone prefers the real deal, even more so if they can watch it in real-time, and a massive 79% of live video fans believe watching videos live brings a more authentic interaction with the audience. Live video engagement stats further reveal 63% of users like the human touch this medium adds to the overall experience. 

(Go-Globe)

Twitch is not just the most popular platform for live video, it also surpasses YouTube Gaming Live, Facebook, and Mixer with a fantastic 5,066,500 million hours of streams. The number of Twitch’s monthly broadcasters meanwhile has surpassed 3.3 million, marking a 63% increase within a year. The fun fact is that at every second of every minute over 1.1 million viewers are hooked on Twitch. 

(Statista, Influencer Marketing Hub)

The latest Twitch video stats reveal that Richard Tyler Blevins, aka Ninja, is Twitch’s #1 streamer with 12 million followers and an estimated annual revenue of $5,417,447. Gaming streamers benefit from affiliate links, selling merchandise, sponsors, and donations. Though, in addition to the money they earn, they are also reshaping the world as we know it. 

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

Eleague TV is the only stream that has an average of more than 1 million viewers. We are talking about a stream that shows the biggest Esports competitions of games like Rocket League, Overwatch, Street Fighter, and others. With 1.01 million, PlayStation is ranked second, while Fortnite comes in third with 701,000.

(Twitch Tracker)

Twitch stream stats show that Just Chatting is currently the most watched live stream and has so far generated 2,484,304 hours of stream time from 316,693 streamers. In this category, the average viewers’ count is the highest with 248,541 per stream.

(SullyGnome)

Fortnite has been streamed for more than 4 million hours. The game has 102,418,724 hours of watch time and 8,746,172 hours stream time with peak viewers reaching as high as 328,230, according to live video streaming statistics. 

(SullyGnome)

To make money on Twitch, you must become an affiliate and partner. Becoming an affiliate requires having 50 followers and 500 minutes of streamed content in 7 unique days monthly. Becoming a partner requires a little more effort — you will need to stream at least 25 hours in 12 unique days per month and have 75 viewers on average.

(WalletHacks)

YouTube Live video has grown over the years. Elon Musk, Beyonce, and the latest British royal wedding have brought millions of live viewers to YouTube. SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launch generated more than 2.3 million viewers on YouTube Live. The Royal Wedding stream came in second when more than 10 million viewers tuned in to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot. YouTube Live stream statistics meanwhile show that the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival had more than 82 million live views in 2019. 

(ThinkWithGoogle)

Many assume Facebook and Twitch to be the most popular platforms for live streaming but actual viewers believe otherwise. In a recent survey done by Vimeo, 70% of respondents said that YouTube Live is their favorite platform and YouTube Live video statistics confirm it. Taking into account the growth that live video streaming is currently experiencing across the world it seems we are yet to see YouTube Live achieve its full potential and perhaps come out as a leader on the live video market.

(Vimeo)

In the first half of 2019, YouTube made a rapid boost of the daily watch time by reaching 2.5 billion hours per day. According to YouTube Live stats, it is one of the few live video platforms that have been widely accepted by viewers because of their living-room footprint. The company believes this is the reason why they’ve managed to boost their watch time by almost 40% in less than a year.

(Variety)

With 8 million views, Felix Baumgartner’s space jump is the most-watched YouTube live stream. This live stream is both extraordinary and historic in so many ways. As YouTube live stream statistics have it, while the record-breaking jump wrote history for humankind, with this stream and the 8 million concurrent views that go with it, YouTube made another record in the digital space. The second most-viewed stream on YouTube is Space X’s Falcon Heavy launch with 2.3 million views. 

(Restream)

Twitch might be the ultimate platform for gamers but YouTube Gaming Live is firmly in the running. YouTube Live stats reveal Gaming Live is ahead of Twitch by 26 viewers per live stream and ended the first quarter of 2019 ahead of both Mixer and Twitch with an average of 52.2 viewers per stream. Stats also show a massive spike in the number of average viewers from the second half of 2019 when it stood at 328 thousand, to the first half of 2020 when it topped 692,180 average viewers.

(Statista, Streamlabs)

Four out of five people prefer to watch a live video than read an article from a brand. People often say that they can’t be bothered to read online because they don’t have the time or just feel tired. Instead, they relax watching videos and don’t get exhausted as much. 

(SocialMediaExaminer)

Premium streaming is nothing new. Pay-per-view events existed on television way before they were adopted for online viewing. Whether that live stream video would be from their favorite band, inspirational speaker, or even their favorite brand, people are willing to spend money. Why? Because the vast majority (87%) want to watch live video streams and get that behind-the-scenes feel which evokes a more exclusive experience compared to a standard TV broadcast.

(InPlayer)

Live streaming trends indicate that compared to businesses that don’t use video, organizations that incorporate this particular medium into their marketing strategy are poised to see year-on-year revenue growth 49% faster. This is especially important for SMEs that are looking to boost their market share. Through videos and live streams, companies engage with the customers directly which helps them establish and boost brand credibility. 

(HubSpot)

Instagram live video statistics and trends indicate that digital marketers will push more for video content on the platform, including its streaming function. Additionally, B2B marketers are planning to focus more on newsfeed videos, while B2C marketers will use Instagram Stories more.

(Mondo Creative & Digital Trends)

It is a psychological fact that there is a bigger chance for the user to react on a live video than to an uploaded one because the former is happening right now which makes it more relevant. Live video statistics reveal that social media users tend to watch live content longer. And since it is in our nature to be more curious and to value information that we learn before others, users also feel ten times more engaged when provided with the opportunity to watch live videos. 

(Business Insider)

Streaming is not part of the future, it is already here and set to reshape the strategies of digital marketers. Live video statistics suggest that every time you develop a new product or service and want to show it to the public, it’s better to do it through a live video stream. You will not only connect with current and future users, but you will present yourself as a modern business that listens to its customers and values their feedback.

Sources: Grand View Research, Livestream, Neil Patel, Mediakix, IAB, eMarketer, Fierce Video, Dacast, TNW, Facebook, BuzzSumo, Statista, Wyzowl, MediaKix, Go-Globe, Statista, Influencer Marketing Hub, Twitch Tracker, SullyGnome, WalletHacks, ThinkWithGoogle, Vimeo, Variety, Restream, Statista, Streamlabs, SocialMediaExaminer, InPlayer, HubSpot, PrestoSports, Business Insider, Mondo Creative & Digital Trends