Industry
Mind the gap: Hype pushes OTT shows high on viewership charts but audience favourites are another story
Summary
Hype and marketing can inflate viewership numbers for OTT shows. While top watched series include Mirzapur and Panchayat, the most-liked series lists Gullak and Kota Factory, indicating a gap between initial curiosity and sustained enjoyment.
Some shows on streaming platforms may have gained high viewership from the hype built around them and generous marketing spends, but these web originals don’t necessarily become audience favourites.
The list of most-watched Hindi streaming originals in 2024 was led by the third seasons of Mirzapur and Panchayat, followed by Heeramandi, Indian Police Force and Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar, according to media consulting firm Ormax. However, the list of most-liked Hindi web series was topped by Panchayat, followed by The Legend of Hanuman, Kota Factory, Gullak and then Mirzapur.
Experts said the discrepancy between the most-watched and the most-liked shows reveals that viewership is often driven by anticipation, hype and marketing, whereas liking is a deeper metric that reflects greater engagement and long-term impact.
Incidentally, high-budget, tentpole shows such as Mirzapur, Panchayat, Heeramandi and Citadel: Honey Bunny also rank high on marketing buzz.
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“High viewership can often be driven by significant promotional campaigns or the allure of a popular brand or celebrity like the release of a big film on OTT platforms or content featuring well-known personalities with a dedicated fan following, where viewership numbers spike due to the large fan base," said Nitin Gupta, chief content officer of Chaupal, a platform for Punjabi, Haryanvi and Bhojpuri content. “Liking ratings may not always align [with viewership rankings] if the content fails to live up to expectations or if audiences disengage quickly."
In contrast, Chaupal titles Outlaw and Vardaat have found a cult following, even with relatively low viewership, Gupta added.
Inflated viewership
This highlights how viewership can often be inflated by initial curiosity or hype, whereas the true appeal of content is measured by sustained enjoyment, quality, and niche fan engagement.
The gap between viewership numbers and content liking is because sampling for a show is driven by factors like franchise value, genre, theme, scale, and star cast, rather than content quality, said Keerat Grewal, head - business development (streaming, TV & brands) at Ormax Media.
“A show can get high sampling based on these factors, but if content likability is low, the completion rates for the show are lower, and growth sampling is impeded due to negative word of mouth. This is similar to a big star-cast film getting a strong opening but failing to sustain due to low likability," Grewal added.
As per the Ormax SVoD (subscription video-on-demand) Audience Profiling report, the top two genres with high appeal are thrillers and mystery or suspense. However, this is a result of supply-side dynamics.
In order to widen the stagnating SVoD audience base, OTT platforms must identify genres that appeal to groups outside the top 15-20 cities, Grewal said.
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Casting director Adityoa Suranna agreed that genres such as slow-burn dramas, documentaries, and animated series might not command massive initial viewership but often achieve high content liking ratings due to their depth and storytelling quality. Unlike mass entertainers that rely on instant appeal, these genres attract dedicated viewers who engage deeply with the content.
“Creators do over-indulge certain genres. With crime dramas and thrillers over produced, audiences now find shows like Gullak to be a breath of fresh air," producer and director Hemal A Thakkar said. Gullak is a family comedy drama set in a small Indian town.
Viewership is often measured based on the first episode or even the first few minutes of a show. A large number of people might start watching a title because of curiosity or hype, but they may not continue or enjoy it.
Completion rates
High dropout rates can sometimes indicate a mismatch between expectations and content delivery. In the case of web shows, word of mouth becomes very important, according to filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra, since one’s immediate social media feed and circle are likely to convey which shows have been liked, even if they haven’t been viewed as much.
“This is why audience engagement—how many people complete a show or return for multiple seasons—can sometimes be a stronger metric than raw viewership numbers," said Kaushik Das, founder and CEO of AAONXT, a platform specialising in Odia content.
As streaming platforms mature, there will be a greater push toward measuring "completion rates" and "repeat viewership," which will give a clearer picture of real audience preferences, Das added.
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After all, a show that people binge watch from start to finish or recommend to others holds far more value than one that merely attracts clicks.
“Measuring viewership based on initial engagement may not accurately represent audience interest or engagement. This might lead to inaccurate representation," said Rajat Agrawal, chief operating officer, Ultra Media & Entertainment Group. “Also prioritizing viewership numbers over engagement metrics can lead to a focus on quantity over quality, potentially compromising content standards. Furthermore, unclear measurement methodologies and inconsistent reporting can erode trust among content creators, advertisers, and audiences, which might lead to lack of transparency."
