YouTube and Facebook live stream duopoly challenged by upstarts
- Sara Fischer, author of Axios Media Trends
YouTube Live and Facebook Live are being increasingly challenged by upstarts, including Twitch, Twitter and Snapchat.
Why it matters: Three years ago, a survey from TV analysis company Magid found that consumers cited YouTube Live and Facebook Live most often as the platforms they use to stream live video.
Details: The survey doesn't measure hours watched on each platform but rather which platform people say they use, and respondents could select multiple services.
- Twitch's hyper-loyal users, mostly gamers, view by far the most live-streamed hours, but according to the survey, fewer total people say they use it for live video.
Today, roughly 1/3 of people say that Facebook and Google-owned YouTube are where they go for streaming live video, compared to mid-40 percentage ranges for both platforms three years ago.
- Survey respondents have checked fewer options overall for how many services they say they use to live-stream video. That suggests they are beginning to consolidate their viewing among fewer platforms.
Be smart: Gaming could have a lot to do with this shift, says Matt Bertz, vice president of games at Magid.
- "There's a generation coming up in which connectivity is a central part of their lives. They've been playing interactive games with friends, like Minecraft and Fortnite, that required live connections. Live-streaming in general is just an extension of that."