The total viewing time spent by video on demand (VOD) service subscribers in Indonesia has reached 3 billion hours per month, according to research conducted by digital marketing firms TradeDesk and Kantar.

The number of VOD users – both paying and non-paying – is estimated at 66 million people, with 43% of them saying they will continue subscribing to the service even after the Covid-19 pandemic ends.

It’s not surprising then that international VOD players are eyeing Indonesia. Netflix, Disney+, HBO Go, and Amazon Prime have launched in the country, while Lionsgate Play is planning to do so.

Photo credit: Loren Javier

Local platforms like Vidio and GoPlay, however, aren’t sitting still.

Both providers have expanded their customer base in 2020. Vidio scored an average of 60 million monthly active users, up 150% from a year ago, says chief marketing officer Rezki Yanuar in an interview with Tech in Asia Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the number of paying Vidio customers grew 3x year-on-year, hitting an estimated 1.1 million in 2020, according to research by Media Partners in Asia (MPA).

GoPlay CEO Edy Sulistyo told Tech in Asia Indonesia that the total streaming time on the service has increased 10 times compared to 2019, but he declined to share details about the number of its customers.

Vidio and GoPlay also have different drivers.

For example, local dramas, sport events, and Korean dramas were some of the most-watched content on Vidio in 2020, Yanuar says. He considers local movies to be underrated, but he also points out how this type of content could bring millions of viewers to the platform.

Sports broadcasts such as the Champion League or NBA games are also a magnet, especially for male audiences. “However, this segment died when the pandemic hit, resulting in many sports competitions being put on hiatus,” Yanuar adds.

GoPlay has a different strategy, focusing on live events such as virtual music concerts, movie discussions, game shows, comedy acts, and workshops. It’s a segment that the company’s rivals aren’t targeting.

GoPlay’s and Vidio’s parent firms have influenced their development.

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