Video Behaviour on Twitter: Southeast Asia Insights

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.

Video watch time on Twitter is on the rise globally, and in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines are even seeing a much faster growth rate compared to the global rate. 

When it comes to video viewing frequency, 54% of users watch videos on Twitter at least once a day, and this number is even higher at 60% amongst the younger users (18-24 yr old)².

66% of Twitter monthly active users in the region say that Twitter is one of their main sources of video content online³. 

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, indicating a keen interest in video content on the platform⁴.

The experience of watching videos on Twitter is enjoyable for 78% of our users in the region⁴.

7 out of 10 of Twitter users in Southeast Asia love the opportunities to discover video contents on Twitter that are aligned with their passions - content that's fresh, new that they haven’t seen elsewhere - at an impressive rate of 68%⁵. This undoubtedly increases their chances to click and view the video content.

It's no secret that users in the region also love the diverse range of video content on Twitter. In fact, 64% believe that Twitter provides a more extensive selection of video content compared to other platforms⁶.

Although content preferences may vary from market to market, one thing is certain across Southeast Asia: Twitter is the go-to for video contents that are 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 - Twitter has it all!

When watching videos on Twitter, our Southeast Asian audiences prefer the full-screen experience, with more than half consistently opting for this mode, with only a mere 6% seldom or never going full-screen when watching videos⁷, highlighting the popularity of the full-screen viewing preference.

Audio is an integral part of the viewing experience, with a remarkable 64% who always go with sound-on when watching videos on Twitter⁸. The deciding factor for sound activation is the content at hand. For content that they are very interested in, the majority (72%) will undoubtedly turn on the sound⁹, further amplifying the overall viewing experience.

Twitter has long been the ideal pairing with Television. 87% of users in the region say their usage of Twitter increases while watching TV¹¹.  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 streaming¹². For fans and enthusiasts alike, Twitter serves as the ultimate hub for the latest news and conversations on current shows, while many eagerly await trailers for upcoming shows or turn to Twitter for their fix of current show highlights.

With the positive video experience on Twitter, our audiences in Southeast Asia are very receptive to video advertising on the platform. 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%¹².

In comparison to other platforms, the majority of Twitter users in the region (55%)¹³ actually prefer our ad experience. As people come to Twitter in search of new video content, it comes as no surprise that 2 out of 3 users find our video ads to be less intrusive compared to other platforms¹⁴.

Ensure a full video viewing experience: Full screen and sound-on videos will not only improve view-through rate and brand recall but also give a chance for your ads to stand out from a creative standpoint

Keep your video ads short and succinct: Our research shows shorter ads (6 to 15 seconds) are more effective at driving consideration and purchase intent. The same applies to your accompanying Tweet copy, as your video doesn't stand alone. Depending on your campaign objective, grab attention with a short Tweet of up to 10 words/50 characters or provide detailed messaging of the brand with a longer copy of 30 words/160+ characters.

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.

Connect with the audience during big events and cultural moments: If it’s happening in the world, people are watching it on Twitter. Brands have more opportunities to connect by surrounding that content with Twitter Amplify, the advertising solution which can extend your reach and enable your brand to align with culturally relevant videos that your target audience is already watching.

Reach the right audiences: Twitter’s unique targeting signals such as follower look-a-likes and keywords allow you to connect your brands with audiences around major shows or sporting events. Another form of targeting that serves well is Twitter’s 15-second buying model, which identifies those who are most likely to watch longer-form content, to encourage high view-throughs and cost-efficiencies. The combination of relevant content and user interest helps you achieve higher ad recall.

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. Luxury brand @Prada delighted fashion and luxury fans with a 15-minute long sci-fi-inspired catwalk as centrepiece of the launch campaign for its Fall Winter 2022 Womenswear Collection. 

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For more video best practices, check out this 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,