By Toni Blackhurst, Commercial Director at Recast
When trend-setting Gen Z leads the way into a new form of media experience, it’s important to listen up. And for this critical age cohort of 13- to 28-year-olds born between 1997 and 2012 — particularly those over age 16 who are gaining more purchasing power — the next iteration of media monetization is all about micro-transactions.
An expanding amount of research data says it all. One report by Statista examined consumer spending worldwide on media and digital content by payment frequency in 2023 and 2028. The study clocked the value of micro-transactions by media at $323 billion by 2028, projecting 15 to 20% growth per year largely driven by Gen Z consumer habits.
According to GWI’s insights on Gen Z’s key spending habits, in the world of gaming and digital media, many Gen Zers don’t hesitate to pay for the extras and customization they want. This group is 36% more likely to have leveraged micro-transactions to buy an in-game item or feature. Plus, once they’re committed to a gaming or streaming experience, Gen Z’s 31% more likely to have purchased an add-on or downloadable content in the past year.
Gen Z isn’t the only generation that’s into micro-transactions, of course — WorldPlay reports that 41% of players in general are making in-game purchases at least weekly, with one-fifth of gaming communities using them.
No matter what type of media owner you are — whether a head of strategy or distribution for an entertainment studio or sports franchise, an IP owner, or a content aggregator —understanding what Gen Z and beyond wants in terms of micro-transactions and a tailored media experience can be the key to unlocking the next generation of media monetization. While subscriptions and ads are still part of the media revenue stream, their popularity is decreasing — nearly 40% are likely to cancel a subscription service in the next year according to YouGov 2024, and 41% of ad budgets are wasted, which just drives churn and ad-blocker use while decreasing brand trust among consumers.
Meeting Gen Z Where They Are: Everywhere
Instead of replacing subscriptions and ads completely as revenue generators, a better strategy is to use new technology to bring in an additional stream that taps into these proven trends in gamification and the ability to earn value through user rewards like Gen Z craves. Imagine your business having the ability to sell your media — whether older or newer content — on a pay-per-view basis, directly to new and younger audiences and other consumers wherever they are online. A simple self-serve tool can put you, as a media owner, in complete control of setting your desired pricing, share value, geo-restrictions, affiliate permissions and percentages, and tag and split earnings, that you can manage your media monetization all in one place.
The concept of this technology is a self-serve content management platform and universal media wallet that allows consumers to access any form of media or content — whether live streams, documentaries, podcasts, TV shows, films, articles, images, behind-the-scenes footage, backstage moments, or private performances — on a pay-per-view basis. It’s in line not only with Gen Z’s viewing and spending habits, but can easily be effectively targeted and customized for any consumer or viewer group that seeks specific content. The result is a win-win: this solution allows media owners to convert a moment of attention into another revenue and data stream for your business, and seamless access for fans, while automatically distributing revenue according to rules set against each media item.
This solution can be integrated into partner websites and apps as well, with consumers spending from their personal, universal balance. It’s also easy to top up, or earn value into, by bumping up engagement, such as sharing data with businesses. With access into views, earnings, demographics, fan and consumer data, and the ability to issue rewards and incentivize loyalty through the platform, businesses can use this platform to deepen customer engagement, providing Gen Z and others with exactly what they want through tailored media experiences.
PPV That’s Truly DTC
The reason this type of pay-per-view solution is so effective is that it allows businesses to truly go direct to consumers, meeting their target audience wherever they are to unlock new revenues—with no cost per action. This new technology also allows for share-and-earn and host-and-earn models, incentivizing Gen Z and other influencers and consumers to promote your content, and giving third parties permission to host and sell your content to their audiences.
The revenue potential for businesses from this model is huge. One study that tested its effectiveness found that over $300,000 was generated from content that previously generated zero revenue on YouTube, with over 43,000 unique viewers, over 312,000 live purchases, and nearly 69,000 on-demand purchases with 70 minutes of average viewer time.
A self-serve content management platform that can distribute media owner and affiliate revenues in real time for every transaction according to pre-defined rules on each item. In short, this solution makes media monetization finally affordable — with no upfront costs and a commission-only model — so media owners can harness the full potential of Gen Z’s desire for micro-transactions and their proven willingness to pay what it takes to get the customized media experience they want.
