What are micro-dramas?
Micro-dramas are series of very short episodes, usually lasting between one and two minutes, designed for vertical viewing on mobile devices and featuring a fast-paced narrative.
It’s not simply a matter of making content shorter. The difference lies in how the story is constructed:
- constant plot twists
- open endings in each episode
- a narrative designed to continue
In other words, a script adapted to an environment where it is increasingly difficult to capture attention and consumption is becoming increasingly mobile.
Why are they gaining prominence now?
The context explains almost everything. Today, video is consumed anytime, anywhere and, often, whilst we are doing other things. The mobile phone is now often the primary screen for consumption.
In this environment, micro-dramas fit in naturally: they are quick, accessible and designed for those moments of intermittent viewing.
But there is something even more important. This format is no longer just a viewing trend; it is beginning to become a market in its own right.
According to recent data, micro-dramas reached $11 billion in 2025 and could double in the coming years. When figures like these emerge, it usually means that something has moved beyond the experimental stage to become monetised and embedded in the market.
From social video to premium short-form
For a long time, short-form video has been associated with social and user-generated content. However, we are seeing a significant shift: the short-form format is beginning to become professionalised.
Platforms, broadcasters and studios are exploring how to integrate this format into their strategies:
- vertical content for young audiences
- new engagement formats on mobile
- complementary layers within the streaming offering
In this context, micro-dramas represent a natural evolution: short content, yes, but with a structured narrative, professional production and defined monetisation models.
When the format becomes a product
One of the most interesting developments is that the micro-drama is evolving not only as content but also as a product.
The case of Globo is a good example. The company has moved from exploring short-form video to launching its own platform Globopop focused on vertical content, with a free, ad-supported model, and an approach closer to social media platforms than to traditional television.
This type of initiative reflects a fundamental shift; it is not just about creating short-form content, but about building consumption environments where that content makes sense.
New monetisation models
Microdramas typically rely on hybrid models that combine:
- advertising
- subscription
- micro-payments to unlock content
It is an approach that is partly reminiscent of gaming dynamics: easy access, progressive consumption and incremental monetisation. That said, as these micropayments are often associated with ‘addictive’ consumption, they can lead to significant costs, so one must be careful and exercise restraint when binge-watching micro-dramas.
At the same time, it poses significant challenges, particularly regarding user acquisition and the business model, suggesting that it is still an evolving market, and it remains to be seen whether it will be sustainable over time
Spain: first signs of movement
Although development in Spain is still in its infancy, interesting signs are already beginning to emerge.
Some micro-drama apps show engagement levels of around 13 minutes per day, indicating that there is a real market for this type of consumption.
Furthermore, some players in the audiovisual ecosystem are beginning to experiment with vertical and short-form content, anticipating possible changes in how they connect with specific audiences.
New format or natural evolution?
This raises an interesting question: are we looking at a completely new format or an evolution of the short-form content that has always existed?
The difference probably lies not in the duration, but in the context:
- algorithmic distribution
- mobile-first consumption
- product logic and monetisation
In that sense, rather than a disruption, we may be witnessing a readjustment of the audiovisual ecosystem to new consumption habits.
What does this mean for the future of video?
Microdramas do not replace traditional formats, but they do add a new layer to the ecosystem. One more layer:
- mobile
- frequent
- integrated with social dynamics
For telcos and platforms, this opens up new opportunities in terms of engagement, differentiation and the evolution of the value proposition, especially in a context where aggregation and user experience are once again key.
So the question is not so much whether this format will grow—at the moment, it looks set to do so—but what role it will play within the broader landscape of audiovisual content.
Because sometimes major transformations do not come with entirely new formats, but with new ways of consuming them. And in that arena, micro-dramas are already beginning to set the pace
