90% of U.S. consumers open to short-form video on publisher sites

A new survey commissioned by Media.net indicates that short-form vertical video consumption has expanded beyond social platforms, with 90% of U.S. consumers saying they are open to viewing such content on publisher websites.

The poll, conducted in September 2025 and involving more than 1,000 U.S. adults, found that short-form video is now a daily habit for most respondents. Seventy-three percent reported watching multiple times per day, and 81% said they primarily view content in vertical format on smartphones.

“Consumers have made it clear: short-form video isn’t just for social platforms anymore,” said Vaibhav Arya, chief executive officer at Media.net. “They want the same vertical video experience everywhere they spend time online.”

YouTube Shorts was cited as the most-used platform at 56%, followed by TikTok and Facebook, each at 50%. Instagram Reels came in at 41%. Other platforms, including Snapchat Spotlight and publisher websites, saw significantly lower usage.

Most respondents said they watch short-form video while relaxing or unwinding (69%), with others doing so during commutes or idle periods (11%), while browsing news or content (9%), or while multitasking (9%).

Karan Dalal, chief operating officer at Media.net, said the format’s appeal is tied to ease of consumption and engagement.

“Engagement is the core reason short-form vertical video has become the dominant format online,” Dalal said. “It’s dynamic, immediate, and easy to consume.”

Sixty-one percent of survey participants said short-form video is more engaging than articles, podcasts or long-form video. The main reasons cited included convenience (72%), entertainment value (58%), creative formats (28%), personalization (28%), and mobile optimization (23%).

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The survey also indicated strong engagement with advertisements embedded in short-form video, with 68% of respondents saying they interact with ads at least occasionally. Of those, 28% said they do so very often.

Consumers expressed interest in various types of vertical video on publisher sites, including news recaps (45%), lifestyle and how-to videos (44%), entertainment or celebrity content (40%), product-related content (34%), and sports highlights (28%).

Seventy-five percent of respondents said they would stay longer on sites that offered videos aligned with their interests.

“When 77% of consumers say product reviews are an important part of their decision-making process, and nearly 75% say trustworthy reviews on publisher sites are what makes the internet valuable to them, then the open web becomes the ideal environment for advertisers who want real purchase outcomes,” said Steve Florio, Media.net’s senior vice president of global supply partnerships.