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Fandom Data Uncovers New Trends in Windowing Strategies for Streamers

August 12, 2024

Data Details Optimal Episode Release Strategy for Maximum Fan Engagement & Key Differences Between Binge Vs. Weekly Releases

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - August 12, 2024 - As the world's largest fan platform, Fandom stands at the intersection of entertainment and gaming. With 350 million monthly visitors and more than 50 million pages of content across its brands including Gamespot, TV Guide, and Metacritic, Fandom has a wealth of valuable first-party data. This data enables Fandom to provide unique, proprietary insights and trends across all of gaming and entertainment and is the ONLY platform that offers in-depth fan insights and connections across IP’s, detailing every aspect of imagined worlds from episodes and plotlines to characters and relationships.

Overview
As the streaming landscape becomes more competitive, understanding the optimal release strategy is crucial for platforms seeking to maximize fan engagement and subscriber retention. Fandom’s data sheds light on how binge, weekly, and two-part releases affect viewer visitation and engagement.

"There are so many variables driving engagement, including quality, volume and categories of content, the strength of the product and recommendations, the competitive landscape, and the profile of the subscriber base,” said Stephanie Fried, CMO of Fandom. “For studio teams, content and product are the variables most within their control, and Fandom insights can help arm them with the data to maximize efforts on both fronts. Optimization of windowing strategies to extend the life cycle of a fan while keeping them happy and engaged is a delicate balance and Fandom's insights provide a guide to find the sweet spot for each type of program”.

Key Takeaways

Overall, weekly drops are more effective when it comes to both spikes in fan engagement during the release window and sustaining that fan engagement post session finale.

  • Weekly drops (+12x vs. average trend) outpaced bingeable releases (9x) in terms of fan engagement:

    • Invincible (weekly drop) saw a strong 23x rise above its traffic benchmark while Netflix’s live-action Avatar (binge), a comparable IP involving teens with magical powers, only increased 7x above its benchmark.

    • Similarly, Gilded Age Season 2 (weekly drop) rose 15x above its benchmark, whereas Young Royals Season 2 (binge), a show of comparable content, only increased 6x.

  • Additionally, weekly shows sustain fan engagement +50% longer after the credits roll compared to binge drops (16-week window vs. 11 weeks):

    • Shows like Halo Show, House of Dragon Season 1 and Invincible Season 2 trended 23 weeks post-finale, 18 weeks post-finale, and 17 weeks post-finale respectively.

    • On the opposite end, of the 14 binge-model shows analyzed, only Stranger Things Season 4 and the final season of Ozark exceeded fan engagement of 15 weeks post-release.

Fandom also explored how being an established versus an emerging series affects the consistency of these findings:

  • For established series, like Stranger Things and Bridgerton which have a strong monoculture around them, bingeable release methods allow for quicker weekend one completion.

  • However, emerging franchises benefit more from weekly releases, allowing time for fanbase growth through word-of-mouth and earned media tactics.

The newest method of dropping content - two-part binges - has been hotly debated as streaming platforms experiment with this manner of releasing episodes. While fans might not be happy having to wait after a mid-season cliffhanger, the method shows promise:

  • Two-part binge releases maintain higher engagement between parts, with mid-season averages 5x above pre-season baselines.

  • Despite user drops during hiatus, engagement remains higher compared to pre-season levels.

Viewership Trends Case Study

As the eagerly awaited new seasons of popular shows like The Bear, Bridgerton, House of the Dragon, and The Boys hit our screens this summer, Fandom looked into the impact of different release strategies on viewership and engagement. By analyzing the performance of each series across various seasons, Fandom’s data reveals insightful trends and the effectiveness of binge versus weekly release models. This deep dive highlights how each release strategy influences audience behavior, engagement levels, and overall viewership growth, from The Boys' maintenance of a consistent viewership to Bridgertons’ varying levels of success as it shifted to a split two-part strategy.

The Boys
The consistency of weekly drops enhanced sustained engagement and gradual increase in viewership, demonstrating the strength of the weekly model for this series:

  • Season 1: Weekly release strategy led to a strong initial fanbase, with significant word-of-mouth growth.

  • Season 2: Sticking to the same weekly release schedule, this season has 19x growth from Season 1.

  • Season 3: Continued with weekly releases, resulting in 12x trend growth above its traffic benchmark and trended 19 weeks after its final episode.

  • Season 4: Maintained weekly drops, achieving 8x trend growth above its benchmark.

Bridgerton
After having Initial binge success, the shift to a two-part release resulted in lower overall trend growth, though it maintained higher user engagement between parts. Releasing a full season at once to binge has proven to be a more successful strategy for Bridgerton:

  • Season 1: Released as a binge model, creating a significant monoculture moment with rapid initial viewership growth.

  • Season 2: Continued with binge release, achieving 15x trend growth above the traffic benchmark.

  • Season 3: Shifted to a split two-part release strategy, with 5x trend growth compared to Season 2's 15x.

House of the Dragon
With this fan-favorite fantasy show, consistent weekly drops led to sustained viewership and engagement, highlighting the strength of the weekly release for maintaining fan interest over time:

  • Season 1: Weekly release strategy led to high engagement with an 18-week post-season trend.

  • Season 2: This ongoing season has continued with weekly drops, showcasing an initial 2x trend growth compared to the 1.5x growth in Season 1. The popularity of the series keeps rising, with each episode of Season 2 being more popular than the last.

The Bear
The Bear has had a binge release strategy for all 3 seasons with the highest impact seen in season 2. Generally, season 2 tends to be the strongest performing season across TV shows, but season 3 did see a noticeable drop in interest for some of the key characters. Trying a two-part binge release for season four could help generate more fan interest & excitement to lift overall growth.

  • Season 1: All eight episodes of the first season were released at once, leading to 18x above the traffic benchmark.

  • Season 2: Continued the binge model, achieving another 18x above the traffic benchmark.

  • Season 3: Maintained the all-at-once drop of the third season’s ten episodes, ending up with a 4x trend growth.

METHODOLOGY
Source: FanDNA, Fandom’s first-party platform data