Gracenote, the content data business unit of Nielsen, has released a wealth of findings on global consumer attitudes and behaviours relating to video streaming in its 2025 State of Play report. The report concludes that video platforms relying on engagement to drive their businesses face major risks by not delivering user experiences that help viewers navigate massive amounts of available content.

Based on a survey of 3,000 consumers in the UK, the US, Germany, France, Brazil and Mexico, the Gracenote report finds that nearly 33 per cent of streaming users feel content and service fragmentation negatively impacts their TV experience. Among the 25-34 age group, that concentration rises to 40 per cent. Despite general love for streaming among consumers in different countries and age groups, 45 per cent say the streaming experience is overwhelming.

The longer it takes for viewers to find something to watch, the less enjoyable the experience becomes. On average, consumers globally spend 14 minutes searching for what to watch. In the US, the amount of time is 12 minutes, up from 10.5 minutes in mid-2023. French viewers spend a significant 26 minutes searching for content, an amount of time equal to the length of an entire programme episode.

When viewers can’t quickly and easily find something good to watch, negative outcomes can result for platforms. The report finds that 19 per cent of people will abandon a viewing session if their content search is not successful. This jumps to 29 per cent for viewers in the 18-24 age group. Going further, 49 per cent are willing to cancel a service based on difficulty finding what to watch.

Key features viewers want to improve their experiences include a single guide presenting content information across all services and for platforms to tell them where to find specific programmes wherever they are available. In fact, 66 per cent of survey respondents specified interest in these capabilities. With viewers going to the internet for content-related searches before using in-service capabilities, publishers and platforms have a significant opportunity to change behavior and keep users engaged.

“Effective search, discovery and recommendation capabilities that enable platforms to connect viewers to the content they’ll enjoy most are more critical than ever,” said Tyler Bell, SVP of Product at Gracenote.” Organisations that deliver these capabilities will simplify the fragmentation of content and channels which impact viewers’ entertainment experiences. In doing so, they can capitalise on opportunities to become the first and most valuable viewing sources for their users.”

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Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, OTT, Research, Search/Recommendation

Tags: EPG, Gracenote, nielsen, search, streaming