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Distributional Treatment Effects of Content Promotion: Evidence from an ABEMA Field Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Shota Yasui
  • Tatsushi Oka
  • Undral Byambadalai
  • Yuki Oishi

Abstract

We examine the impact of top-of-screen promotions on viewing time at ABEMA, a leading video streaming platform in Japan. To this end, we conduct a large-scale randomized controlled trial. Given the non-standard distribution of user viewing times, we estimate distributional treatment effects. Our estimation results document that spotlighting content through these promotions effectively boosts user engagement across diverse content types. Notably, promoting short content proves most effective in that it not only retains users but also motivates them to watch subsequent episodes.

Suggested Citation

  • Shota Yasui & Tatsushi Oka & Undral Byambadalai & Yuki Oishi, 2026. "Distributional Treatment Effects of Content Promotion: Evidence from an ABEMA Field Experiment," Papers 2601.11185, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2601.11185
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    References listed on IDEAS

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