With Twitter users watching more and more videos — and Southeast Asian markets leading the way with some of the highest global consumption rates — we take a look at some of the ways that marketers can use video to their advantage on Twitter.
When you think of Twitter’s product offering, you probably think about its flagship text-based Tweet. While that may have been true in the early days, Twitter has evolved — in more ways than one.
As the platform continues to go through a period of highly-documented change, what the casual observer may not realise is that Twitter has quietly become a video powerhouse, garnering over 3.5 billion video views each day.1 This is especially relevant for Southeast Asia (SEA), which has some of the highest rates of video consumption on the platform.
A 2022 Twitter survey of social media users across three key markets in the region (Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines) yielded revealing insights into how — and why — so many people across the region continue to use the platform every day. In an effort to help brands use Twitter to connect meaningfully with their audiences, we’re diving into a few of the top takeaways from the survey.
1. Video is on the rise in Southeast Asia
If it’s happening in the world, people are watching it on Twitter. While people go to Twitter for what’s happening, they also seek video content to complement their Twitter experience.
With innovations like the
immersive video viewer which lets people seamlessly view and discover even more video on Twitter, video consumption on Twitter is on the rise. In Southeast Asian markets, we are even seeing a much faster growth rate, with the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand seeing 53–81% increases in video time, compared to the global rate of 29%.
Not only are Twitter users watching more videos, but according to the study, 66% of Twitter monthly active users in the region say that Twitter is one of their main sources of video content online.2
The study also shows that Twitter serves as an excellent platform for video discovery, with 56% of users in Southeast Asia discovering video content right on their timelines, while 43% even actively seek out videos on the platform.3
2. Twitter is the go-to for video content aligned to users’ passion points
Longtime Twitter users will know that the platform is a place where anyone can find a community for their interests, no matter how niche. That’s an experience that translates naturally to video, with 7 out of 10 Twitter users in Southeast Asia saying they discover video content on Twitter that is relevant to their passions — content that’s fresh, new, or that they haven’t seen elsewhere — at an impressive rate of 68%.4
Given that Twitter users have ample opportunity to find content that appeals to them, it’s no wonder that 78% of respondents in the region said they find the experience of watching videos on Twitter enjoyable. Additionally, Twitter users in Southeast Asia continue to turn to the platform for videos because 64% think that Twitter provides a more extensive selection of video content compared to other platforms.5
Although content preferences vary from market to market, one thing is clear across Southeast Asia: Twitter is the go-to for video content that is aligned with users’ interests and passion points. From the latest updates in current affairs to the latest trends in business, finance, lifestyle, and celebrity-related content, or even viral sensations, there is something for everyone.
3. Twitter is the second screen for TV and streaming
The water-cooler moment isn’t dead — it’s just moved to Twitter. Twitter has long been the ideal pairing with television, and in the streaming era, it’s where viewers go for instantaneous, real-time discussion of their favourite shows (as anyone who was on Twitter after the Succession finale can attest). But don’t just take it from us — according to the survey, a whopping 87% of users in the region say their usage of Twitter increases while watching TV.6 People and fans of all kinds turn to Twitter as a second screen to TV, and the first scroll for highlights of TV’s biggest moments, or anything they missed on linear.
In the era of OTT platforms and streaming content, the pairing of Twitter and streaming is an even stronger force to be reckoned with. A staggering 90% of users in SEA report an increase in their Twitter activity whilst indulging in their favourite streaming.7
4. Full-screen and sound-on are the go-to viewing experience
With the sheer volume of content available online these days and an ever-shortening human attention span, it’s increasingly rare for viewers to stop their scroll for a full-screen, sound-on experience. But that’s exactly what Southeast Asian audiences on Twitter are doing, with more than half consistently opting for this mode, and only a mere 6% seldom or never going full-screen when watching videos,8 highlighting the popularity of the full-screen viewing preference.
Audio is an integral part of the viewing experience, with a remarkable 64% of respondents saying that they always go sound-on when watching videos on Twitter.9 The deciding factor for sound activation is the content at hand. For content that they are very interested in, the majority (72%) of users will turn on the sound,10 further amplifying the overall viewing experience.
5. Twitter audiences in SEA are receptive to video advertising
With the positive video experience on Twitter, our audiences in Southeast Asia are very receptive to video advertising on the platform. An average of 70% of Twitter users in the region enjoy the video ad experience on Twitter, with the Philippines boasting an impressive 74%, followed by Thailand with 72% and Indonesia with 69%.11
Crucially, this positive perception of Twitter’s video content also extends to advertisements, with 2 out of 3 survey respondents saying they find our video ads to be less intrusive compared to other platforms.12
With all of the above in mind, here are some of the ways that brands can tap into the power of video on Twitter:
1) Stand out in the timeline with best practices for video creative.
Optimise your brand’s video assets: Make your video creative work harder and maximise your messaging by using prominent branding, strong visuals, and inserting captions for sound-off viewing.
Ensure a full video experience: With the majority of users in SEA opting for full-screen and sound-on experience, ensuring a full experience will not only improve view-through rate and brand recall, but also give your brand a chance to stand out creatively.
Keep videos short and succinct: Our research shows shorter ads (six to 15 seconds) are more effective at driving consideration and purchase intent.13 The same applies to your accompanying Tweet copy, as your video doesn’t stand alone.
2) A good media strategy sets you apart.
Connect with the audience during big events and cultural moments: As people are turning to Twitter to watch videos related to big events and cultural moments, brands have more opportunities to connect with this highly engaged audience with
Twitter Amplify — an advertising solution that pairs brands with premium, timely publisher videos. Twitter Amplify can extend your reach and enable your brand to align with culturally relevant videos that your target audience is already watching.
Share your stories as they unfold with live video on Twitter: Whether you’re broadcasting live from the studio, the sidelines, the red carpet, the scene of a breaking news event, or just because you want to connect with your followers, Twitter offers easy-to-use tools to share what’s happening.
For more video best practices, check out “
Unskippable,” a video series on how to create unskippable content and hear directly from Twitter’s dedicated content production team that helps advertisers produce thousands of top-performing ads on the platform every year.
Trang Hoang, marketing lead, JAPAC, Twitter & Serene Tay, senior research analyst, APAC, Twitter
Methodology
Online quantitative survey conducted in May 2022 amongst 1,500 users of social media platforms including Twitter in Southeast Asia (500 Philippines, 500 Thailand, 500 Indonesia).
Sources
[1] Twitter internal data, January 2021, global. Data reflects 2020 yearly average.
[2-12] Video Behaviour on Twitter study, May 2022, Indonesia, Philippines & Thailand, n=1500 Twitter monthly users. Q:How often do you watch videos on each of the following social media platforms?
[13] Twitter Internal Analysis, 141 US Nielsen Brand Effect Studies that started in 2019, Video Ads n=1,617, Respondents n=122,583.