VideoElephant’s October 2025 Rewind Report reveals a transformative surge in licensed and monetised video content usage among top global publishers, as AI-driven search reshapes digital media distribution.

Key findings from VideoElephant’s data—capturing usage across major clients including MSN, Gannett, News Corp Australia, and Taboola News—highlight three powerful industry trends fuelling video strategy and revenue growth:

• Video volume up by 50% in H1 2025: Publishers, creators and media brands expanded monetised video feeds by 50% in the first half of this year compared to all over 2024, compensating for AI Search shifts by diversifying distribution across online, social, and connected-TV platforms. Multilingual content escalated rapidly, with subtitles and synthetic voice-overs in 27+ languages broadening international audiences.
• Vertical video emerges as the default format: Half of VideoElephant’s content partners prioritise vertical video, driving nearly triple the revenue growth versus 2024. Industry data shows that mobile-first vertical storytelling outperforms traditional horizontal video in impressions and completion rates, fuelling robust user engagement across smartphones and streaming devices.
• Creator-driven content syndication expands: Over one-third of VideoElephant’s new video feeds originated from creators in 2025, merging authentic storytelling with professional publishing. Channels like the World According to Briggs and Wolters World exemplify this trend, monetising through off-platform licensing and advertising partnerships.

Regarding video volume, Kate Doughan, head of content at VideoElephant, states, "This unprecedented growth signals a seismic shift in video distribution, with publishers maximising AI Search opportunities to expand reach and revenue worldwide."

As for vertical video, Johnny O’Neill, VP of customer success, adds, "Vertical video is no longer just a trend—it’s a critical revenue engine enabling publishers to dominate across mobile and connected-TV environments."

The VideoElephant Rewind Report analyses longitudinal data from January to July 2025, benchmarking video licensing and syndication trends versus 2024 among industry-leading publishers and content providers. You can view the full report here.

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