Research: Nearly Half of consumers see social media as TV
October 28, 2025
Four in 10 consumers say that watching social media videos and streaming services counts as ‘watching TV’, and that rises to 50 per cent for Gen Zs and Millennials, according to Deloitte’s latest Digital Media Trends study.
This blurring of content matters for Hollywood, advertisers, and platforms alike: with social and streaming now interchangeable, they must work harder to deliver content that feels authentic, creator-driven, and mobile-first—because that’s what audiences see as “TV.”
Further key findings from the report include:
- ‘TV’ is expanding and shifting: Nearly 60 per cent of Gen Z and 44 per cent of Millennials say they spend more time watching social media videos than streaming services.
- Ad-supported viewing is surging: Almost two thirds (66 per cent) of streaming households now use ad supported platforms, with Gen X and Boomers leading the shift – forcing marketers to rethink how they spend their budgets when viewers are willing to trade ads for cheaper access, mirroring the flexible, social-style ad experience.
- Creators are the new super stars: Content value is measured by authenticity and relatability with over half of Gen Z say social content feels more relevant, and half say they feel closer to creators than actors.
- Purchase influence is shifting: Gen Z and Millennials say social media ads influence purchases more than streaming ads.
- Storytelling is going vertical: Short-form serialized video designed for smartphones, micro-series are reshaping how stories are made and monetized, as storytelling adapts to shifting audience behaviors. Almost half (45 per cent) of our respondents were familiar with micro dramas or micro series and, among them, almost half of younger generations are watching more micro-series content now than they did a year ago
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