Analysis: Netflix Viewing Data Provides Raw Numbers, but Which Titles Caused Most Audience Reaction?
A new report from Diesel Labs is giving greater context into Netflix’s recently-released viewership numbers.
When Netflix speaks, the entertainment world listens. As such, it’s easy to see how the attention of the industry was captured so completely last week when the world’s largest streamer released viewership data for the vast majority of its global titles. Thanks to a new report from Diesel Labs, it’s much easier to see which of those titles truly captured audiences’ imaginations, as opposed to just compiling big viewing hour numbers.
- The report from Diesel Labs shows not just Netflix viewing hours, but also engagements with Netflix shows.
- Engagements come in the form of both views on promotional videos and trailers, as well as reactions and comments about the show.
- Season 3 of “Outer Banks” was the most engaged-with Netflix show, creating nearly 163 million engagements in six months.
What’s Missing from Netflix’s Viewership Data Report?
From a data transparency standpoint, Netflix’s release of its viewership numbers was nothing short of a revolutionary step. Although some other streaming platforms, such as Max and Hulu have compiled top 10 lists for users to browse, no other streaming service has come close to releasing the amount of raw data about streaming customers that Netflix just unveiled.
But the numbers are just that: raw numbers that show how many hours a Netflix title was viewed during the six-month period between January and June 2023. What it doesn’t demonstrate is how much these shows got users talking, and how much off-platform engagement they generated; in other words, how much excitement they created among audiences. That’s where the new report from Diesel Labs comes in.
Which Netflix Shows Created Most Engagement in the First Half of 2023?
Diesel combined Netflix’s viewing numbers with proprietary attention metrics to put hard numbers behind the question “Which Netflix shows create the most engagement?” Diesel breaks engagement down into two categories: video view engagements, which include views across trailers, previews, and other promotional and teaser content; and nonvideo view engagements, which encompass likes, reactions, shares, and comments.
Netflix’s No. 1 most-watched show between January and June 2023 was “The Night Agent,” according to its report. But Diesel’s figures reveal that the series isn’t even in the top 15 in terms of engagements generated, with around 7.3 million total engagements between video and non-video sources.
“The Outer Banks” was the most engaged-with Netflix title during the first six months of 2023. It was fifth on Netflix’s list in terms of total viewing hours with 740 million, but its engagements topped out at 162,986,025. That number is split almost down the middle between video and non-video engagements, with 50.92% in the former category and 49.08% in the latter. “Never Have I Ever” brought in more than 92 million engagements, while “Wednesday” came in third with over 87 million.
Diesel’s undertaking of these efforts to give more context to Netflix’s numbers is important, particularly as users try to get a better glimpse of what causes Netflix to cancel shows. Titles that drive more engagement are less likely to be canceled, although high engagement is not a guarantee of a return with new episodes; “Shadow and Bone” is eighth on Diesel’s engagement list with more than 43 million, but it was still canceled after two seasons by the streamer.
Perhaps the most important facet of Diesel’s report is that it allows readers to see which type of engagement a show is driving the most. Video engagements are more likely to occur before a title is released, whereas non-video engagements are more likely to happen once viewers have actually seen the show or movie. Diesel’s numbers generally bear this out, as shows with higher viewership hours like “Outer Banks” and “You” tend to have non-video engagement rates of 25% or higher. “The Diplomat” generated the highest rate of non-video engagements at 73.2%, whereas “The Mother” snagged the highest level of video engagements at 90.5%.
All of this data gives users a better idea of not only which shows are being watched the most on Netflix, but which shows are generating a passionate response from audiences. This data allows for a more complete picture of which shows are so successful on Netflix, which is a boon to users desperate for a new title to watch.
Netflix
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