The news: Short-form content is a valuable format for streaming subscribers’ discovery, engagement, and loyalty.

• 51% of US adults say short clips help them discover shows that are worth paying to watch, per a Bango survey conducted by 3Gem.
• 40% would use their streaming services more often if they included short clips, including 53% of Gen Zers.
• Another 40% could better justify subscription costs if exclusive short-form content were available.
• 32% would rather watch highlights than a full episode, including 42% of Gen Zers.

The opportunity: Short clips could draw in new subscribers and retain current ones as churn rises—32% of streaming users have signed up for a service to watch something then later canceled or paused their subscription at least three times in the past year, per CivicScience.

• Short-form content can function as a discovery pathway tied to pricing power. Some streamers are already leaning into this opportunity, including Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+.
• For platforms under pressure to justify continued price hikes, clips—especially exclusive ones—tied to a title’s premiere could reduce sticker shock around cost increases.

Recommendations for streaming providers: Develop ad formats around short-form feeds to evolve alongside users’ changing viewing preferences. Personalize clip recommendations based on long-form viewing history and interests, but give consumers opportunities to fine-tune algorithms to surface relevant titles, encourage repeat visits, and provide more reasons to stay engaged between major releases.

Recommendations for marketers: Lean into expanding availability of short-form content by exploring sponsored or branded clips. Considering 44% of US adults think short videos from a trusted brand carry high value, per Bango, ad placements in clips may land better than pre-roll ads—especially with younger audiences who treat short-form as their default viewing mode.