There is something for everyone: What are
people in Southeast Asia watching online?
Across Southeast Asia (SEA), more
and more people have turned to
YouTube to bring their offline
passions online.
Here, we dive into the insights from
across the region to uncover the
latest video consumption habits of
viewers and take a look at how
brands and advertisers can use these
insights to better connect with
audiences as they settle down to
watch their favorite content.
Just uploaded: People are selective about
what they watch
From live concerts and Ramadan prayers
to yoga lessons and learning new skills,
audiences at home rely on YouTube
content creators to upload fresh content
across every screen and every need.
Whether it’s a new game review, stories of hope and happiness, ways to study, clean,
cook, or simply to #stayhome #withme, people are curating the videos they choose to
watch online to suit their preferences.
Recommended: Online video watch time
is on the rise
People are turning to online videos to satiate their curiosity or
keep themselves entertained.
People in the Philippines have increased the
amount of time they’ve spent watching
videos on YouTube by 50%. And they are
1
just one of the many countries in the region
that have witnessed a year-on-year increase.
50 %
Total watch time growth in the
Philippines in the past year
What’s trending?
Everyone is going digital, regardless of gender, age group, religion, or
interest group. Brands and content creators today have a huge digital
canvas to engage with audiences as more people go online.
YouTube has reached more than 93 million
Indonesian adults in April 2020 – accounting
for 91% of the adult population that is online.2
>93M
YouTube reach among reaching 91% of the adult
Indonesian adults in April 2020 population that is online
Explore something new
Beyond entertainment, many people are turning to YouTube videos to
discover their passions through personalized, interesting,
and engaging video content. From music videos by top artists,
to fitness workouts, there is content for everyone!
Thailand Vietnam Philippines
90% growth > 4x > 3x
In time spent Increase in watch time for Increase in watch time
watching comedy movie Multiplayer Online Battle for fitness videos 8
videos 4 Arena (MOBA) videos 3
Malaysia Singapore Indonesia
Doubled More than triple 1.3x growth
The time logged watching Time spent watching In YouTube searches for “drama
consumer electronics computer hardware videos 7 Korea”, “Korean drama”, and
videos 6 “drakor” 5
Across the region, there is a growing appetite for a wide range of video content.
Voracious video consumption is spurring brands to become more adventurous in
exploring different formats to reach new users.
Hit the like and subscribe buttons
People are eager to watch the latest content from their favorite creators by actively
subscribing to YouTube channels to receive notifications as new content is published.
There are more than 450 Thai
450
channels
channels with more than
1 million subscribers on YouTube. 9
Brands should plan their content pipeline by factoring in people’s
demand for staying engaged with content creators.
Tips for delivering personalized
experiences for audiences
Tap on the growing digital population:
SEA countries have a growing
online population for brands to engage with.
Reach out to every category of consumer:
With more people consuming video content
today, brands can leverage a single platform
to reach audiences across different demographics.
Feed the growing appetite for different video categories:
People are interested in a diverse range of video
content – creating opportunities for brands to explore
different content formats.
Continue to stay engaged:
Consumers are increasingly looking out for a steady
stream of the latest content from their favorite channels.
Sources
1
Google Data, The Philippines, June 2020.
2
Comscore VMX Multi-Platform, Indonesia, April 2020.
3
Google Data, Vietnam, June 2020 vs. June 2019.
4
Google Data, Thailand, Jan.-June 2019 vs. Jan.-June 2020.
5
Google Trends Data, Indonesia, March-April 2020 vs. Jan.-Feb. 2020.
6
Google Data, Malaysia, April-June 2019 vs. April-June 2020.
7
Google Data, Singapore, June 2019 vs. June 2019.
8
Google Data, The Philippines, June 2019 vs. June 2020.
9
Google Data, Thailand, June 2020.
apac.Thinkwithgoogle.com.
