There has been a consistent growth in ad impressions within the global FAST market, with increases of 15% in the third quarter and 28% in the fourth one, Amagi revealed in the tenth edition of its “Quarterly Global FAST Report,” comparing Q3 2022 to Q3 2023 and Q4 2022 to Q4 2023.
Furthermore, the report said that channel deliveries and Hours of Viewing (HOV) showed significant growth over the same periods. In detail, channel deliveries grew by 45% in Q3 and 25% in Q4, and HOV rose by 30% in Q3 and 26% in Q4. These steady numbers demonstrate how FAST continues to be a popular streaming model, enabling advertisers to target specific audiences and content providers to differentiate themselves within the broader video advertising ecosystem, Amagi noted.
The study showed that while 46% of survey respondents primarily use SVOD services, 44% use FAST or AVOD, with two-thirds of viewers saying they will willingly watch ads if it means receiving free, high-quality content. This finding demonstrates the potential for continued migration to AVOD and FAST services.
Regarding territories, APAC is the only region that shows a three-digit growth in both analyses (Q3 2022 vs. Q3 2023 and Q4 2022 vs. Q4 2023) across HOV (145% in Q3 and 130% in Q4) and ad impressions (281% in Q3 and 352% in Q4). Meanwhile, regarding genres, news contributed a substantial 41% to total HOV worldwide in Q3 2023, followed by 37% in Q4 2023, maintaining its status as the most watched genre. Movies trailed behind at an 11% share in Q3 2023 and a 9% share in Q4 2023, with nature and wildlife as the third runner-up at 8% and 6% during the same quarters.
“As this latest edition of the 'Global FAST' report shows, stakeholders need to start aligning their strategies with the pace at which ad dollars are now moving in the FAST lane. The surge in ad dollars toward CTV is not just a trend; it is a seismic shift reshaping the digital advertising landscape. Advertisers, content providers, and FAST services must recognize the incredible opportunities within this dynamic environment,” said Srinivasan KA, Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Amagi.