Why we watch: the habits and motivations behind livestream viewing
Aug 18, 2026
Many are watching – but not all in the same place. Watching livestreams has become part of
Why we watch: the habits and motivations behind livestream viewing
Watching livestreams has become part of everyday life. A Cimigo survey covered 276 respondents, of whom about one in two (135) had watched a livestream in the past month. These viewers form the basis for the detailed findings that follow. Behind that number lies a telling pattern: The platform they choose depends heavily on who they are, and that is where we begin.

Watching does not always mean paying attention. When we look at how people actually watch livestreams, the pattern is relaxed: short sessions, mostly at night, and almost always alongside something else. Livestream works more as a companion in the background than as content people sit down for – and the data that follows shows exactly what that habit looks like.

If livestreams are watched so casually, what keeps people coming back? The answer is not polish – it is the raw, unscripted feel that edited content cannot replicate. This is livestream’s core appeal, and it shows clearly in the kinds of content people watch most.

This is where the most important finding emerges. Even though livestreams are watched regularly, most of the audience stays silent and passive – rarely interacting, let alone offering financial support. The strength of a livestream audience lies in its size and attention, not in its donations.

Half the market watches, but in short bursts, at night, alongside something else – and mostly in silence. That combination of wide reach and shallow engagement calls for a different playbook: one built on presence and consistency rather than conversion.

Livestreaming has scale and a positive habit: half the market tunes in, mostly to relax and be entertained. Yet attention runs shallow – viewers watch with one eye, rarely chat, and seldom pay. The opportunity is not to monetise a passive crowd, but to earn deeper attention through a presence that feels genuine and consistent.
What makes a viewer lean in – and eventually support – will not be the same for every creator or audience. Understanding exactly where casual watching turns into real engagement is precisely the kind of question ongoing audience research is designed to answer.
Why we watch: the habits and motivations behind livestream viewing
Aug 18, 2026
Many are watching – but not all in the same place. Watching livestreams has become part of
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Đoàn Ngọc Huy (Johnny Doan), CMO & Market Research Expert -
As a Marketing Director and Market Research Expert Advisor across international markets, I have collaborated with numerous market research agencies, both global and local, that operate with a high level of professionalism and effectiveness. Cimigo is among the most outstanding. The Cimigo team demonstrates exceptional professionalism, strong commitment, and operational excellence. From research design and fieldwork execution to insight analysis, all stages are conducted rigorously, delivered on schedule, and closely aligned with business objectives. This is a highly capable team that I would confidently recommend to my partners and stakeholders.
As a Marketing Director and Market Research Expert Advisor across international markets, I have collaborated with numerous market research agencies, both global and local, that operate with a high level of professionalism and effectiveness. Cimigo is among the most outstanding. The Cimigo team demonstrates exceptional professionalism, strong commitment, and operational excellence. From research design and fieldwork execution to insight analysis, all stages are conducted rigorously, delivered on schedule, and closely aligned with business objectives. This is a highly capable team that I would confidently recommend to my partners and stakeholders.
Lisa Nguyen - Vietnam Marketing Lead
Mark Ratcliff - Managing Director
The team at Cimigo are my favourite researchers in South East Asia. They’ve proved adept at tackling the most private and complex personal issues at qualitative research level, not flinching when the client endlessly chopped and changed fieldwork timing, or ramped up the workload without warning. They have recruited the most extraordinarily niche consumers without pause or complaint. Their patience with clients and their flexibility and hard work that went above and beyond what was initially asked of them on two projects relating to sexual behaviour means there is now no other research company we would choose to work with in that part of Asia. The fact they also pulled off a third project for us so well, on men’s relationship with beer and beer advertising, shows they have breadth of expertise— we still quote from the report they produced.
The team at Cimigo are my favourite researchers in South East Asia. They’ve proved adept at tackling the most private and complex personal issues at qualitative research level, not flinching when the client endlessly chopped and changed fieldwork timing, or ramped up the workload without warning. They have recruited the most extraordinarily niche consumers without pause or complaint. Their patience with clients and their flexibility and hard work that went above and beyond what was initially asked of them on two projects relating to sexual behaviour means there is now no other research company we would choose to work with in that part of Asia. The fact they also pulled off a third project for us so well, on men’s relationship with beer and beer advertising, shows they have breadth of expertise— we still quote from the report they produced.
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