People spend more time consuming daily content than pre-Covid

From concerns about inflammatory or polarising content, to a continued shift in the platforms and channels consumers are using, a report* studying advertising and media shows how people's habits are changing in fundamental ways.

As consumer habits evolve in response to macro social and economic trends, and digital content consumption rises, brands have to evolve their ad strategies to meet their audiences where they consume content, finds tech and data firm DoubleVerify. 

There should be a focus on contextually relevant, attention-grabbing ad placements that also safeguard their brand reputations.

Takeaways 

• Cost-of-living concerns are driving ‘stay at home’ content consumption, particularly on CTV and social media, with 55% of people now spending more time consuming content daily than pre-pandemic.
• Attention fuels media efficacy, with two-thirds (66%) of respondents claiming an ad that captures their interest in the first five seconds will make them more likely to pay attention.
• Online shopping surges and is bolstered by a contextual approach – 54% buy more items online now than pre-pandemic; 67% pay attention to an ad if it is relevant to content they are viewing.
• Trust and shared values foster loyalty but consumers are quick to judge – 61% are even less likely to purchase/use a brand again if they see it advertised beside mis- or disinformation.
• Inflation is a key driver: 45% of global respondents note the reason they’re spending more time consuming digital content is because they are staying at home due to the rising cost of living.
• In APAC, this stands at 40%, with the increasing availability of quality content (49%), interest in the latest trends and topics (48%), and work from home tendencies (45%) also top reasons.

Key quote

“On top of the growth in online content consumption globally, a growing number of consumers in APAC are relying on digital content more than before when making purchases.

“Along with a growing emphasis on brand accountability for mis- and disinformation, advertisers also need to relook at their strategies to ensure their ads are reaching the right target audience without risking their brand reputation” – Jordan Khoo, Managing Director, DoubleVerify APAC.

*DoubleVerify’s ‘Four Fundamental Shifts in Advertising and Media’ was conducted among 16,608 adults aged 18+ across 18 countries, with interviews conducted online in June 2022 using email invitations and an online survey.