Products

EMARKETER delivers leading-edge research to clients in a variety of forms, including full-length reports and data visualizations to equip you with actionable takeaways for better business decisions.
PRO+
New data sets, deeper insights, and flexible data visualizations.
Learn More
Reports
In-depth analysis, benchmarks and shorter spotlights on digital trends.
Learn More
Forecasts
Interactive projections with 10k+ metrics on market trends, & consumer behavior.
Learn More
Charts
Proprietary data and over 3,000 third-party sources about the most important topics.
Learn More
Industry KPIs
Industry benchmarks for the most important KPIs in digital marketing, advertising, retail and ecommerce.
Learn More
Briefings
Client-only email newsletters with analysis and takeaways from the daily news.
Learn More
Analyst Access Program
Exclusive time with the thought leaders who craft our research.
Learn More

About EMARKETER

Our goal is to unlock digital opportunities for our clients with the world’s most trusted forecasts, analysis, and benchmarks. Spanning five core coverage areas and dozens of industries, our research on digital transformation is exhaustive.
Our Story
Learn more about our mission and how EMARKETER came to be.
Learn More
Methodology
Rigorous proprietary data vetting strips biases and produces superior insights.
Learn More
Our People
Take a look into our corporate culture and view our open roles.
Join the Team
Contact Us
Speak to a member of our team to learn more about EMARKETER.
Contact Us
Newsroom
See our latest press releases, news articles or download our press kit.
Learn More
Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities
Reach an engaged audience of decision-makers.
Learn More
Events
Browse our upcoming and past events, recent podcasts, and other featured resources.
Learn More
Podcasts
Tune in to EMARKETER's daily, weekly, and monthly podcasts.
Learn More

UK Digital Video 2020

Subscription Services and Big-Screen Viewing Jump During the Pandemic

Download
Share
About This Report
Digital video viewership in the UK will continue to rise this year. The pandemic has provided a particularly significant impetus for subscription video-on-demand services, while connected TVs have become the consumption device of choice.
Table of Contents

Executive Summary

The pandemic and ensuing lockdowns left a lot of people in the UK with a lot of time on their hands. Digital video filled a void for many, and subscription services in particular saw rapid uptake. Viewership of long-form content on big screens will thus see a boost this year.

How many digital video viewers will there be in the UK?

This year, 47.0 million people—69.9% of the population—in the UK will watch digital video content at least once per month, up by 2.9% from 2019.

What devices are people using to tune in?

The vast majority of the UK population was housebound for most of the day during strict lockdowns, which led people to lean more into the bigger screens in the household. (Earlier this year, people in the UK were allowed out of their homes only for exercise or to collect essential items.) The number of connected TV (CTV) users in 2020 will therefore reach 40.9 million, up substantially from our January 2020 forecast of 38.6 million.

What platforms are viewers using to consume digital video content?

Subscription services became incredibly popular during lockdown. The uptake of these services will be so massive in 2020 that the combined viewer numbers for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are set to surpass YouTube viewer numbers for the first time—43.1 million versus 42.0 million. That combined total breaks down to 26.6 million viewers for Netflix and 16.5 million for Amazon Prime Video.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report examines the digital video market in the UK based on our most recent forecasts, which have taken pandemic effects into consideration. It looks at who’s watching, how they’re tuning in, and what kinds of content they’re consuming.

KEY STAT: The lockdown saw UK viewers re-engage with their big screens. This year, 40.9 million people will watch video content on a connected TV, up from 38.6 million in our previous forecast.

authors

Bill Fisher

Contributors

Ethan Cramer-Flood
Forecasting Writer
Shelleen Shum
Senior Director, Forecasting
Already have a subscription?Sign In

Access All Charts and Data

Gain access to reliable data presented in clear and intelligible displays for quick understanding and decision making on the most important topics related to your industry

Become a Client