Live streaming statistics: 40 things you need to know
Live streaming is something that has been increasing in use year after year, with estimates that the global live streaming market will reach more than $ 4.26 billion by 2027. That is to say, it is certainly a very important market! As such, we have selected some interesting live streaming statistics, so you can get to know a bit more about the segment.
The first interesting statistic is that 90% of professional streamers use some of the best live streaming apps or some live streaming tools for their broadcasts. With them, you can simultaneously broadcast your live streams on Facebook and Instagram at the same time, in addition to other social networks. These four are the best tools on the market:
- Restream (the most used)
- BeLive (the most intuitive)
- OneStream (the cheapest)
- StreamYard (the easiest to use)
Top 40 live streaming statistics
Statistics on live broadcasts not only offer important information but also bring fun facts about this video format that only grows around the globe. This data is interesting for both content creators and anyone who is curious about the numbers involved in this style of digital communication.
If you are reading this article because you want to start in the world of live streaming, you should also know these tips for beginners on how to do successful live streams.
So, let’s get down to it and tell you 40 statisticss about live streams that you need to know!
01. Twitch is one of the best platforms to live stream
Twitch has some of the biggest numbers when it comes to viewers, with an average of 30 million daily visitors, and more than 7 million unique streamers going live every single month. On average, it has about 2.5 million views at any given time!
02. Social media users prefer to watch live streams than consume other types of posts
82% of people who consume content on social networks prefer to watch live videos than consume any other type of post. This can be attributed to several reasons, but the main one is possibly the ease of assimilation of audiovisual content compared to a written text.
03. Almost 25% of US internet users have been consuming more live streams since the pandemic started
Ever since the coronavirus pandemic started, the consumption of live streams has increased dramatically, with 24% of users reporting that they`ve been consuming more live content, and the trend is not downwards.
As such, now is a great time to start live streaming, and to to so you need to get to know the 12 best headphones for streamers and lives and check out these 16 tips for choosing a good headset for gamers!
04. People between 18 and 34 years old consume the most live streams in the US
According to a survey by Statista, the live streaming audience in the US varies according to the age group of the viewers. People between the ages of 18 and 34 watch live streams the most, with 15% watching live streams several times per day. As an expected counterpoint, 62% of those over 55 years old in the US never watch live streams!
05. Most Twitch viewers are between 16 and 34 years old
In fact, the figure is that 70% of Twitch users are in this age range, which means the platform is much more geared towards younger audiences. As such, the best thing is to produce content that appeals to young people!
06. The e-sports live streaming market should vastly increase in value by 2025
The e-sports market has been growing rapidly and one of the main reasons for this growth is the increase in live streaming of e-sports events and competitions. Projections indicate that the global esports live streaming market could reach a value of US$ 3.5 billion by 2025.
07. On Facebook, live streams have 6 times more interactions
Live broadcasts on Facebook Live have proven to be very effective in generating greater participation and interaction from users on the social network. Compared to recorded videos, live streams generate 6 times more interactions on the platform!
08. Live streaming is one of the main influencer marketing tools
Research conducted by eMarketer found that in 2022, around US$ 16.4 billion was spent on influencer marketing around the globe. Further, it may surprise you to know that more than 60% of customers trust influencer recommendations, compared to 38% who trust brand-produced content.
Do you use OBS but want to test other tools? So get to know the 15 best alternatives to OBS for live streaming.
09. For marketers, live streams are an important part of the strategy
Continuing with our list of live streaming statistics, these broadcasts have gained more and more importance in the world of digital marketing. According to a survey conducted in 2021, 92% of marketers consider lives as an important part of their content marketing strategy.
10. Twitter users prefer to watch live streams than read tweets
Live streams have been successful on Elon Musk’s social network, Twitter. To give you an idea of how popular these broadcasts are, statistics indicate that approximately 82% of Twitter users prefer to watch live videos on the platform, rather than reading tweets.
11. The most watched live stream in the history of YouTube is performed by a Brazilian YouTuber
Among the surprising live streaming statistics, Streamer Casimiro set a new peak viewers record on YouTube in 2022. It was in the game between Brazil and Croatia in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022. The live stream had more than 6 million simultaneous views at certain points!
12. Live music on YouTube reached millions of viewers during the pandemic
With in-person musical events banned due to the health restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the live streams of artists from all around the world in different segments reached impressive numbers, with several artists performing live concerts for hundreds of thousands of viewers!
13. The Twitch platform has millions of active streamers per month
The Twitch platform, which is very popular among gaming and esports enthusiasts, reported that on average more than 30 million unique visitors access the site daily. Additionally, Twitch has a community of over 7 million monthly active streamers.
Want to start streaming? Then get to know these live streaming platforms!
14. LinkedIn Live had a significant increase in the consumption of live streams
LinkedIn, the largest social network for professionals on the internet, with more than 830 million users worldwide, experienced in 2021 a significant increase of 158% in live video views compared to the previous year.
15. The pandemic contributed to the popularization of live streams
The tools and platforms where it is possible to live stream experienced significant growth right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between March and April 2020, there was a 45% growth in viewing live content, especially on Youtube with the arrival of podcasts.
16. The most watched live stream of all time reached more than 9.5 million views
In 2012, Red Bull Stratos, a project by Red Bull and Felix Baumgartner, performed the most viewed live stream in history. In it, Felix Baumhartner, a skydiver, flew into the stratosphere in a balloon, and then free fell in a pressure suit and parachuted to earth. Live. And this is the most viewed live stream to ever happen!
17. Facebook Live is the most popular live streaming platform in the US
Next up in our live streaming statistics, it is also good to know that Facebook Live is the most popular website for live streaming in the United States. It has around 17% of market share, while YouTube Live sits at 16% in the second place.
18. Live videos on Facebook are watched, on average, three times longer than pre-recorded videos
With that said, it is easy to understand why streaming is so important! People tend to prefer watching live videos because they give a feeling of authenticity, with 79% of viewers believing that watching live content brincs more authentic interaction.
19. Statistics show that a large number of people are willing to pay for live streams if it offers exclusive content
It might not be such a new concept, but it is true that people pay for exclusive content. In fact, 45% of users are willing to pay for live videos to get exclusive content! This happens because the majority of viewers want to get a behind-the-scenes feel, and they get it from exclusive streams.
20. For viewers of live streams, video quality is very important
Video quality is an important aspect for most viewers. According to surveys, around 67% of audiences who consume live streams consider video quality extremely important when watching these broadcasts.
21. Most young adults watched at least one live stream last year
According to live streaming statistics, more than 60% of people in the world, aged between 18 and 34, watched at least one live broadcast during the last year, whether of music, journalistic lives, or with digital influencers.
22. A large portion of internet users watch more live streams than any other type of video!
The number sits at around 1/3 of internet users doing so, preferring live streams over any other video. However, overall, music videos sit at the top, with more than half of the internet users watching music videos every week.
23. The use of virtual and augmented reality is growing in live streaming
The adoption of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies in live streaming has grown significantly in recent years. According to market projections, the revenue generated by the use of AR and VR in live streaming is expected to increase by a staggering 91% by 2025.
Speaking of technology, you need to know these fantastic artificial intelligence tools.
24. Instagram users want more live streams from companies
The opportunities to use Instagram for business are endless. In a survey, it was revealed that 82% of users follow brands on Instagram. In addition, 77% think that companies should be present on social networks to interact with consumers.
25. Loading and quality are important for live viewers
According to a survey on user behavior on social networks, 65% of viewers who consume live streams said that the time to load a live stream and the playback quality are important factors for a satisfactory experience.
26. The top streamers make a surprising amount of money annually
The latest Twitch live streaming statistics have shown that Ninja, the top Twitch streamer who has 12 million followers makes an estimated annual revenue of over 5 million dollars! The top 10 streamers, Ninja included, make more than 20 million dollars annually.
27. Live streams are among the main strategies of companies that do digital marketing
Thanks to the growing popularity of this format among consumers, brands have been betting on live streams to generate engagement and, of course, conversion. Over 80% of brands have incorporated live streaming into their digital marketing strategies.
28. ilyas elmaliki is the most watched YouTube gaming streamer
In 2023, ilyas elmaliki, a Moroccan influencer has streamed 258 hours from January 2023 to March 2023, and in this time he had gathered more than 8.9 million hours watched. He had an impressive 34700 average viewers!
29. e-Sports streams account for 22% of all content streamed on Twitch
Live e-Sports streams have been a significant part of the content served on the video social network Twitch in recent years. That is to say, professional gaming in the form of tournaments represent aorund 22% of all content streamed on the platform.
30. Brands invest in influencers who do live streams
According to research by eMarketer, for this year the trend is for a significant increase in spending on smaller influencers, forecast at 220%. Spending on “mega” influencers is expected to grow by 8%.
An influencer needs a camera to do live streams, or at least a good webcam. If you don’t already have one, check out the 10 top webcams for live streaming.
31. The global live streaming market will grow a lot in the coming years
According to a survey by Meticulous Research, released at the end of 2022, the global live broadcast market is projected to reach the $4.26 billion mark by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 22%. .
32. Internet users are increasingly consuming more live streams
Live streaming have become increasingly popular globally. According to research firm GWI, around 35% of internet users worldwide have accessed some form of live streamed content on one of their favorite social networks.
33. Live streams influence users to consume products and services
The power that live streams have to influence the purchase decision grows more and more. Opinion Box conducted a survey on Instagram and revealed that 61% of users said they had already purchased something that a digital influencer was indicating in a stream or story.
34. Twitch has the highest number of unique streaming channels
It might not be surprising, as Twitch is one of the oldest platforms around for live streaming, but as of Q2 2022 it hade nearly 10 million unique channels! Just so you understand how impressive this is, YouTube Gaming sits at around 430,000, while Facebook Gaming has only 238,000.
35. Live streams are the most authentic form of communication with the public
Moving on with our list of live streaming statistics, according to Hootsuite research, live streams are perceived as more authentic and intimate compared to other types of content, which ultimately results in an increase in audience trust in brands and influencers.
36. Live streams engage and increase audience participation by 70%
Streams are an effective way to engage, increasing audience participation. A Livestream survey points out that more than 70% of viewers claim to have answered to a question on Instagram or entered a giveaway.
37. Live streams already exist on social networks since 2011
As of 2011, the main social networks began to incorporate live streaming features and tools on their platforms, a trend that was born with the introduction of YouTube Live. Later, in 2015, Facebook Live came into the picture while Twitter and Instagram adopted this feature in 2016.
38. Bigo Live is the platform where users spend the most
Even though Twitch is one of the biggest live streaming platforms, Bigo Live is the one that sits at the top of spending, As of the beginning of 2022, the website had generated almost 82 million dollars from its customers, while Twitch had generated “only” 72,6 million dollars, maintaining the second spot.
39. More than half live streamers generated revenue from their live content
Surprisingly, around 57% of the US users who had live streamed until the end of 2021 generated some form of revenue from their live content. That means only 43% of live streamers didn’t get any ad money or tips!
40. Live streams bring monetization opportunities for digital influencers
Finishing up our selection of live streaming statistics, did you know that some social networks offer the opportunity to monetize your live broadcasts? In the case of Instagram, the platform lets followers purchase support stickers, highlighting their comments during the live stream. The social network retains a percentage of the value of these donations.
