Netflix Licenses Short-Form Videos from Variety, Rolling Stone, and BuzzFeed
Netflix is adding short-form video content from Variety, Rolling Stone, BuzzFeed, Condé Nast, Hearst, Tastemade, and Penske brands, as it competes with platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Starting August 3, these videos will be available in six markets: the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Launching Content Varied and Diverse
The short-form videos range from 2 to 3 minutes up to over 20 minutes, covering a wide array of topics including news, lifestyle, how-tos, and celebrity content. Some notable examples include:
- BuzzFeed Celeb’s 30 Questions
- Vanity Fair’s Lie Detector
- Billboard’s 24 Hrs With
- Variety’s How Well Do They Know
- Tastemade’s Struggle Meals
Netflix intends to add more publishers over time.
Addressing Viewer Drop-Off and Content Competition
This move comes in response to a Bloomberg report suggesting Netflix is experiencing a drop in viewers between the first and second seasons of popular shows, a concern for company executives. While Netflix has introduced a TikTok-like "Clips" feature for short snippets, these new deals bring stand-alone short-form content directly onto the platform.
The company aims to leverage generative AI for content discovery but primarily faces competition from YouTube and TikTok for viewers’ time. By partnering with publishers, Netflix can test its audience’s interest in web-native content that is cheaper and faster to produce than traditional series. If successful, this strategy aligns with how tech companies expand into adjacent spaces where users already spend time.
Written by: Cristian Dina, CRO at The Next Web (who has interviewed 300+ industry leaders and authored the book "King of Networking")