The Ultimate List of Live Streaming Statistics for 2025

Live streaming has reached its late adolescence and has now become a powerful marketing tool for businesses, especially small ones.

Video-centric internet users popularized it. But even social-centric and browser-centric smartphone users now prefer live streaming over other media types, given live video engages viewers immediately and authentically. And everyone wants a piece of it.

Scroll down to discover the latest live-streaming statistics and learn how businesses, individuals, and marketers leverage live video's power to connect, engage, and build their audiences.

Live Streaming is a Must-have Marketing Strategy For Marketers

1. Live video content holds viewers’ attention for 10 to 20x longer than pre-recorded or on-demand online video content.

(Forrester, Go-Globe)

Forrester’s key live streaming statistics highlight that users engage much better if it is live video rather than pre-recorded online video content.

It also points out that live stream viewers will be more connected if there is a “human element.”

According to Go-Globe, 61% of live stream viewers say the live streamed content is also valuable later. So it is best if the brand and media publishers post their videos on other sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo, where others can revisit the live-streamed content.

In addition, 60% of viewers point out that real-time feedback from other users helps them discover helpful information about the product or service.

2. Live streaming engagement is 2x higher than in traditional videos with influencers.

(RhythmOne, Wyzol)

As indicated in our influencer marketing statistics guide, both brands and retailers are increasing their spending on influencer marketing in 2022.

It is important to note that RhythmOne video streaming statistics suggest that influencer marketing brings in more user engagement when done with video.

But aside from marketing, video marketing also benefits your business in other ways. For instance, using video for product demonstrations reduces customer support calls by up to 43%, according to Wyzol.

As a matter of fact, 75% of B2C marketers already use video streaming to attract customers. And at least 3 of every 4 B2C marketers using live streaming say their campaigns are significantly, very, or moderately successful.

Live Streaming and Video Quality have Improved Globally

3. Video Start Time (VST) saw a decrease of -1.2% to 4.2 seconds in North America.

(Conviva 2022)

Aside from North America, VST increased in all countries.

Like in 2021, Europe provided the fastest Video Start Time at 4.13 seconds (which is an increase of 5.4% compared to 2021). Furthermore, Africa provides the most extended Video Start Time at 7.51 seconds (0.3% increase compared to 2021).

Although the VST increased across the world, the bitrate has increased by 13.6%, and the video buffering rate has decreased by 17.1% compared to 2021.

Even the video start failures were down in all but one region: Asia, where the video start failures increased by 6.7% compared to 2021.

Overall, this means that live streaming quality has improved globally. Here is the 2022 live streaming quality analysis by region:

4. The global average number of minutes per play is 20.8 (up from 20.6 minutes per play in 2021).

(Conviva 2022)

Users in almost all regions watch 20 minutes of live streaming content per play except from Asia and Africa (where the average min/play is 8.5 and 14.2, respectively).

Europe averages 22.7 min per play, followed by North America (22.3 min per play) and Australia (22 min per play).

Plus, most live streaming hours happen on big screens like Smart TVs, Connected TV Devices, and desktops. In fact, 75% of all live streaming worldwide happens on these three devices alone. In particular,

• Smart TVs video streaming accounted for 35% of all live streaming hours watched.
• Connected TV devices (like Xbox, PlayStation, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV) account for 34% of all live streaming hours watched.
• Mobile devices accounted for 11% of all live streaming hours watched.

Interestingly, there is a correlation between the streamed minutes and devices used for watching live streams. For instance, most internet users in Africa and Asia (which have the lowest streaming minutes worldwide) watch live streamed events on mobile devices.

At the same time, on average, regions with the highest streaming minutes tend to view live streams on big screens like Smart TVs, Connected TV devices, and desktops.

5. Online streaming videos with a startup time exceeding 2 seconds have significantly higher abandonment rates; the abandonment rate increases by 6% with each additional second delay.

(Digital TV Europe)

According to Digital TV Europe’s key live streaming statistics, the failure of streaming service providers leads to delays in video startup time and quality.

Its report indicates that at least 66% of video streaming service providers have difficulty deciding the “right bandwidth” for quality live streaming.

So, what does this mean? Well, in simple words, marketers should pick the right live streaming platforms, given that reliable service providers have advanced technology and are experienced in handling audiences of all sizes.

The survey has shown that at least 90% of the respondents say they cannot predict the “user demand,” regarding it as a “significant” or “moderately significant” challenge. This means services must secure adequate bandwidth regardless of the audience size.

80% of live streaming service providers consider latency a challenge, as it can cause displeasure among customers.

Here are the responses given by service providers when asked about significant challenges faced by the live streaming industry:

6. 9 in 10 UAE and Saudi Arabian respondents say they have viewed live streaming content.

(IAB)

IAB’s live streaming statistics indicate that nearly 67% of all internet users have viewed live streams. Also, 47% of users say they watch more live videos compared to previous years.

It should be noted that streaming live video is becoming more common among people who have already interacted with live streams in the past. For instance, only 58% of Russians say they watch live streams; however, 77% say they have increased their interactions with live videos compared to previous years.

This trend is different among top respondents like UAE and KSA, where most internet users interact with live video streaming. For context, only 37% of KSA respondents (in the IAB survey) indicate they have increased their streaming hours.

General Live Streaming Statistics

7. Global streaming view time was up by 14% in 2022. The viewing minutes grew by 10% in Q1 2022 over Q1 2020.

(Conviva’s State of Streaming)

Asian and LATAM countries saw the most significant year-over-year increase in streaming viewing minutes, accounting for 90% and 70%, respectively.

Even in 2021, Asian countries (excluding China) showed explosive growth at 172%, followed by 55% in African countries.

Equally important to note, North America (5%) and Europe (20%) did not experience strong double-digit growth in 2022.

In fact, their growth rate is almost the same as in 2021: Europe saw a 9% and North America saw a 5% increase in streaming viewing minutes in 2021.

Live streaming experienced the most significant growth during the pandemic. Still, the constant increase in American and European countries indicates a mature live stream community.

At the same time, the massive growth across Asia, Africa, and Australia (Oceania) means an enormous growth opportunity.

8. The global live-streaming market is projected to reach $4.26 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 22.1% from 2022-2028.

(Global News Wire, Cisco)

At the same time, the global video market is estimated to reach US$ 330 billion by 2030.

Cisco estimates that 82% of all the global IP traffic is attributable to video streaming. Back in 2018, streaming video content accounted for 75% of the worldwide IP traffic.

The virtual reality and augmented reality internet traffic has grown twelve-fold since 2018 and now accounts for 1.3% of all entertainment traffic (internet video and video games).

Live Streaming and Videos Are the Future of Advertising

9. 80% of users say they would rather watch a live stream from a brand than read a blog.

(LiveStream)

Some 82% of users say they prefer a live video from a brand rather than a social post.

Our social media marketing statistics guide shows that marketers are well aware of this and plan to spend as much as US$ 100 billion on video marketing by 2023.

It is important to note that nearly 89% of online users consume online videos. In this age, video marketing is key to any business’s success. Plus, starting with video marketing is not difficult with the right strategies and video editing tools to create professional-looking videos.

10. Nearly ⅔rd of users interact with ads while live streaming video.

(IAB’s on-device Report)

IAB’s live streaming statistics highlight that as much as 52% of users prefer ads while streaming live videos. On the contrary, 30% of users prefer live streaming without ads.

Nevertheless, IAB’s live streaming statistics indicate at least 64% of users take action after watching an ad during a live stream.

What does this mean for advertisers?

Well, ads during live streams are disruptive elements. However, users engage with them, mainly when advertisers target the right demographics.

The same survey from IAB indicates that when advertisers target a wide range of audiences, the ads get little attention from the users.

But when advertisers target the potential customers (the right demographics), there’s a good chance of bringing conversions from live stream ads.

11. Video ads are 27x more likely to get click-through than ad banners.

(Pubmatic)

Video ads account for 31% of all advertising dollars on the internet. In addition, most advertisers are focusing on mobile devices for video advertising. In fact, 68% of all advertising revenue spent on video ads was for mobile devices.

And for good reasons: advertisers understand that video ads have a higher conversion rate.

Pubmatic’s live streaming stats reveal that as much as 75% of digital marketers plan to increase their video ad budget this year (and only 1% are planning to decrease it).

Even customers want to see brands via videos. Here’s what users responded when asked about what kind of content they want to catch from a brand or business:

If you are a marketer, videos are the best ways to engage with the audience today. As mentioned earlier, making professional videos is relatively easy today; you can easily create professional-looking video ads with free and online MP4 editors.

But that does not mean you lose touch with other impactful marketing strategies. The image shows that at least 46% of users prefer emails and newsletters. So, don’t miss out on potential leads by deserting other marketing channels.

Even if you are starting out or are a small business, use free email marketing services, free CRMs, and more. These free small business tools can quickly help you get potential customers, nurture leads, and grow your business seamlessly.

12. Only 39% of users choose live TV as their default entertainment option.

(Digiday, Digital TV Research)

Digital TV Research’s live streaming statistics indicate that global on-demand video content subscriptions will increase by 475 million users between 2021 and 2027. And it will reach an audience of 1.68 billion worldwide.

In addition, only six US-based platforms will account for 47% of the total market size.

Today, 75% of users in the US have access to at least one on-demand video service. In contrast, only 71% have access to Pay TV. The streaming stats are similar for the most developed countries. The trend for choosing on-demand content instead of regular Pay TV is more common among youngsters (16 to 24 years old).

Till now, Pay TV revenues are still more than on-demand video services revenue. However, OTT revenue (which includes ad-lead on-demand video) is expected to be half of Pay TV revenue this year, according to a Digiday report.

Favorite Platforms in the Live Streaming Industry

13. YouTube Live is the most preferred live streaming platform among users; at least 70% of users say they prefer it over other platforms.

(Vimeo, Statista)

According to a survey conducted by Vimeo, YouTube Live (70%), Facebook Live (66%), and Livestream (45%) are the most preferred live-streaming platforms amongst users.

However, according to the analytic site Statista’s video streaming statistics report, Twitch is the biggest live streaming platform, occupying over 73% of the market share.

Among the leading live streaming platforms examined, Bigo Live (9%), Nimo TV (4%), and Omlet (3%) were the second, third, and fourth largest live streaming platforms in terms of market share.

14. Women watch more videos on social media platforms (aside from YouTube) compared to men.

(LimeLight)

Viewers spend most of their watching time on broad content provider platforms like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV.

At the same time, viewers spend up to 2.9 hours per week watching live TV like Hulu Live and YouTube TV. In addition, viewers spend the least time (1.9 hours per week) on channels covering live sporting events.

When it comes to user-created content (social media channels), YouTube accounts for 65% of total hours watched, followed by Facebook videos (15%), Instagram (8%), Twitch (2%), TikTok (6%), and Snapchat (1%).

Why Live Streams Fail and What Do Customers Want From OTT And Streaming Services?

15. 55% of viewers say “ease of use” is the most crucial factor when choosing a streaming service.

(PwC)

The ease of use speaks that users prefer a clean and intuitive interface.

35% of viewers prefer streaming services that always give them something to watch, whereas only 27% point to the quality of the content available on the service. In addition, 24% of viewers say “access to Live TV on the service” is essential.

At the same time, 29% of viewers say the streaming services’ personalized recommendations frustrate them, while 31% are satisfied with them.

16. 50% of live-streaming video viewers will leave poor-quality video content within 90 seconds.

(LimeLight)

Viewers will also abandon the video immediately if they perceive latency. As much as 64% of live video viewers say they are more likely to watch live videos if they know it is not being delayed from the broadcast, especially live music videos and sporting events.

Equally important to note, 47% of customers have canceled their SVOD because of high prices. And “lack of content” is the second most cited reason for abandoning a streaming service.

How New Technologies Are Changing Live Streaming?

17. 1/4th of the US audience will ditch Pay TV services by the end of this year.

(eMarketer, Deloitte)

Pay TV experienced the most significant year-on-year drop during the pandemic (7.7% decrease compared to 2019); however, Pay TV’s decline has been seen since 2014.

Deloitte’s latest live streaming statistics reveal the US now has more streaming service subscribers (69%) than Pay TV (65%).

Customers now prefer OTT live streaming of major world events and sports instead of traditional TV, given a mobile device is something they can carry out and watch from anywhere.

The trend of “cutting the cord” is more prevalent among young viewers. However, given it is simpler to find new content via social media channels, even older viewers are abandoning linear TV services and adopting OTT.

Demographics is no longer a good prediction for analyzing online video consumption in the live streaming industry, given that 28% of the older generation (age 50+) have cut their cord as of 2021 (up from 19% in 2017).

In fact, more than 80% of live streaming service providers consider “demand for in-depth content” as a compelling reason for OTT’s growth.

18. 65% prefer to watch TV live (up from 53% in 2020).

(PwC)

2020 was a year of significant change for the video streaming market. The online live streaming industry experienced tremendous growth, and Pay TV services experienced the most significant drop in revenue.

However, PwC reports it is climbing back up. At least 68% have maintained their Broadcast TV connections in the US this year (slightly contradicting the Deloitte report mentioned earlier).

And PwC’s streaming statistics indicate that Pay TV customers also pay for additional services like VoD and live content providers.

PwC states that the live streaming trends, like embracing broadcast TV and broadcast live video once again, are best explained by the growth of the Entertainment & Media industry and the live video streaming market.

The entertainment and media market size in 2019 was US$ 2.17 trillion, declining to US$ 2.12 trillion in 2020; however, it is poised for stable growth now, expected to reach US$ 2.9 trillion by 2026.

Retailers and Brands Embrace Live Stream Shopping

19. Live streaming shopping accounted for 11.7% of retail ecommerce sales in China in 2021.

(eMarketer, Forbes)

eMarketer’s streaming stats highlight that live stream shopping grew by 85% YoY in 2021 compared to 2020.

And while Live stream shopping has grown since the pandemic worldwide, China’s live-streaming industry has witnessed the most exponential growth.

In 2022, live stream shopping is forecasted to generate US$ 480 billion in China (16.5% of total retail ecommerce sales) and over US$ 600 billion by 2023.

Nevertheless, in countries like the US, where many adults do not know (or care) about live stream shopping, it generated only US$ 11 billion in 2021. Still, live stream shopping is expected to reach around US$ 25 billion by 2023.

The same report from eMarketer reveals that only 17% of US online shoppers have purchased a product via live streams. Only 6% of US shoppers regularly shop via live events.

Be that as it may, many US retailers are embracing live video streams. According to a Forbes report, some US retailers like Schmidt owe their digital shopping success to using live stream shopping as a single marketing tool and focusing on it like content marketing or email marketing channels.

20. TikTok will surpass Pinterest in social buyers in 2022, generating over US$ 23 million in retail ecommerce sales.

(eMarketer)

Although many US users still do not know about live streaming e-commerce, retailers and brands are embracing live events, given the increased customer engagement and high retail sales (in a short period).

As indicated in our ecommerce statistics guide, Meta (Facebook and Instagram) dominates social commerce and will account for around US$ 104 million of the total US retail ecommerce sales in 2022.

Pinterest was the third biggest social commerce platform in the US till 2021. However, TikTok is forecasted to outperform Pinterest in US social buyers for the first time in 2022, owing to its popularity and impending collaboration with Los Angeles-based TalkShopLive.

So, the question is, what attracts US live video audiences and social shoppers? Well, we have already compiled that in our online retail statistics guide. For instance, US social buyers care about discounts and offers.

In addition, the younger generation in the US cares about customer reviews, whereas the older generation like to purchase from familiar brands.

Why Video and Live Streaming Is a Great Aid For Teachers and Students?

21. 68% of teachers believe video-based education increases student achievements.

(Cisco, Kaltura)

The eLearning market has been active for more than two decades now. As indicated in our State of eLearning guide, 93% of organizations have already adopted the eLearning system (the eLearning market was valued at US$ 250 billion in 2021).

And for good reasons, live streaming and video lessons allow teachers to connect with a broader student base, grow engagement, and even monetize content via channels like YouTube.

But that is not all. Cisco’s latest live streaming stats indicate that video and live-video-based education help educators teach and students learn more effectively.

Up to 68% of educators say video-based education stimulates discussions that classroom setting does not. That is to say, students are not afraid to speak up as opposed to the fear of judgment in traditional settings.

Furthermore, 61% of students say they prefer it over the traditional classroom setting.

62% of educators think video education allows teachers to be more creative. Additionally, more than half think live video helps teachers be more effective than traditional classroom teaching.

Here are all the benefits of integrating video and live streaming technology into the coursework (according to educators):

How to Market Your Business With Live Streaming?

Live streaming allows even small businesses to broadcast live video to the targeted audience all over the world. Almost all social media channels are suitable for live streaming; however, to connect with a broader audience, it is best to use a reliable OTT platform and distribute live video content everywhere.

Yes, as indicated in our Internet Statistics guide, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok — all have active user counts in the hundreds of millions; primarily, they all have live streaming capabilities.

So, even picking one social media channel can do wonders for business. Still, live-stream video campaigns on multiple social media channels can help you reach even larger audiences. Moreover, you can repurpose the pre-recorded live content on your websites and social channels.

As indicated earlier, the live-streaming market is projected to grow for the better; leveraging it now can help you grow your community and outpace the competition by years.

Sources

1. Conviva’s State of Streaming
2. Forrester, Go-Globe
3. Digital TV Europe
4. IAB
5. IAB — On Device report
6. LiveStream
7. Digiday, Digital TV Research
8. Vimeo, Statista
9. Pubmatic
10. eMarketer, Forbes
11. LimeLight
12. eMarketer — Cord Cutting, Deloitte
13. RhythmOne, Wyzol
14. Kaltura

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