Personalised picks by streamers like Netflix and Amazon now determine more viewer choices than suggestions by friends and family.
New research from Ampere Analysis suggests this is particularly true among subscribers aged 25 to 34 and those in households with young children, who are far more likely to “trust the algorithm” than other groups.
Sam Nursall, Senior Analyst at Ampere Analysis says: “Considering the huge volume of data used to make recommendations for streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon, it makes sense that more people are choosing to watch these personalised picks. Viewers do, of course, still take recommendations from friends and family, but overall, they have become increasingly willing to rely on the streamers’ algorithms to select their next watch.
“By the same token, we see that Gen Z audiences receive TV and film recommendations from social media, which is also algorithmic in nature. The fact that social media features so highly as a source of recommendations for younger consumers shows the significance of social platforms as part of the streaming marketing mix.”
Ampere interviewed subscribers in over 30 countries including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
Among the key findings 26% of global internet users now rely on the streamers’ algorithm picks to decide what TV and film to watch. In comparison, 23% rely on word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family
American consumers are generally further down this path, thanks to heavier streaming adoption. 27% of US internet users take algorithm recommendations, compared to 24% of the Western European market.
But among Western markets, UK consumers score the highest on this metric, with 30% choosing streaming recommendations. France and Italy are among the markets least likely to opt for algorithm recommendations, both at 19%. Positive reviews are an important influence in Italy (23%), while France still prefers word-of-mouth (25%).
