With streaming services including Netflix and Hulu doubling down on their efforts to release original content, YouTube continues to scale back. Without originals to pull in views, what’s attracting subscribers to the premium service and are they sticking around?
Flixed surveyed 1,122 people to learn more about why they subscribed to YouTube Premium, what their experience has been like, and what their reason for unsubscribing from the service would be.
The survey found that 47% of those who signed up for a YouTube Premium free trial continued their subscription at $11.99/month when the trial ended. About 87% have stayed subscribed since.
The ability to skip ads in YouTube videos was the top reason for subscribing to the service at 60.7% followed by the ability to play videos and music in the background while doing other things at 46.1%. Original content was the third most popular attraction to respondents, and only 17.3% unsubscribed because they didn’t enjoy the shows and films. Ahead of not liking original content, the cost of the service was the top reason for unsubscribing.
In comparison to other streaming services, YouTube Premium users say the quality of original content is below average. About half of the respondents preferred original content from Hulu and Disney+, and 41% thought YouTube’s content was worse than that offered by Netflix. Cobra Kai topped the list of most watched original content on the platform. With the series potentially moving to another streaming service, YouTube could be losing its best performing original. Without plans to budget for more original series, YouTube Premium could be in danger of losing more subscribers.
If there’s one feature that will keep subscribers paying each month, it could be YouTube Premium’s music. Music on YouTube Premium was “extremely well-liked” by 60% of those who use the service for music streaming. YouTube ranked higher than every music streaming service when put head to head in the survey.
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