Skip to main content

The Walking Dead, Scandal can claim the most loyal fans on Twitter, says Nielsen study

the walking dead scandal twitter amc
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Not everyone watches a TV show and feels the need to tweet about it, but of those who do, Scandal and The Walking Dead fans are the most loyal. In a new Nielsen Social analysis of data gathered from Twitter, the two shows had the highest percentage of fans who tweeted about three or more episodes during the 2014-15 TV season.

Scandal had the most repeat Tweeters, with 24 percent of those writing about the ABC drama doing so for three or more episodes. Coming in at a close second was AMC’s The Walking Dead with 23 percent. Each show has been on air for multiple seasons (four and five, respectively), but longevity isn’t required for loyalty. Although in just their first season, Empire and How to Get Away With Murder managed to tie for third (22 percent). Other buzzed-about shows on Twitter were Sons of Anarchy and Blue Bloods (tied at 21 percent), as well as GrimmSleepy HollowLove & Hip-Hop Hollywood, and Love & Hip-Hop (each with 20 percent).

Recommended Videos

Not only did these fans send out tweets about more episodes across the season, for each individual episode they also posted more times. Nielsen Social found that those who’d written about at least three episodes tweeted 2.8 times as many messages per episode than did other fans. Not surprisingly, season premieres and finales were especially popular episodes to discuss on the social network.

Does the loyalty of fans on Twitter matter, though? It may. The study found that these loyal authors tended to have about 50 percent more followers, and sent out 70 percent more brand-related tweets. Based on that, Nielsen Social pointed out an opportunity for networks and advertisers to “maximize earned media driven by TV content and advertising” by “identifying and cultivating relationships” with such fans.

Moving forward, networks and advertisers will have to determine the best way to tap into these groups. That won’t be the only challenge, though; networks will also have to figure out how these particular shows developed such loyal fan bases in the first place.

Stephanie Topacio Long
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
5 great Amazon Prime Video movies that are perfect to watch in the fall
John Travolta and Uma Thurman dance and twist onstage.

Amazon Prime Video is welcoming many new and returning titles for the fall. Challengers, Luca Guadagnino's tennis romantic drama, is now on Prime Video. The streamer is not skipping the horror for autumn, as The Silence of the Lambs, Doctor Sleep, and The Thing are ready to stream at the push of a button.

Certain movies on Prime Video are perfect to watch in the fall. Some revolve around students, as the fall welcomes back-to-school season. Others are horrors released still craving those Halloween thrills. Our recommendations for movies to watch include a coming-of-age classic, a college handout adventure, and a crime thriller celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Read more
The 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now
Jennifer Anniston hugs Adam Sandler at a bar.

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services in the world, with over 280 million subscribers. And just what do those people tend to watch? In particular, what is the most popular movie on Netflix? Each week, the streaming service releases a list of its 10 most-watched movies over a recent seven-day period to keep subscribers in the loop regarding its most popular titles.

It's officially the holiday season, and Netflix remains a great streaming home for rom-coms. One of its new originals, Meet Me Next Christmas, is the No. 1 movie on Netflix this week. Other top titles include Time Cut at No. 2, The Secret Life of Pets at No. 3, and Martha at No. 4. Below, we've listed the top 10 movies in the U.S. from November 4 to November 10, along with general information about each film, such as genre, rating, cast, and synopsis.

Read more
The 10 most popular TV shows on Netflix right now
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul stare in a face-off.

Exploring the thousands of titles on Netflix can be both exciting and overwhelming. Content of all types abounds, from dramas and comedies to reality shows and documentaries. It's a good thing there's a list to help narrow your decision by letting you see the most popular Netflix shows. That's right, every week, Netflix releases its list of the 10 most-watched TV shows over a recent seven-day period.

The Pogues are back for another go-round in Outer Banks season 4, part 2, the No. 1 show on Netflix. The Diplomat held strong at No. 2, followed by Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson at No. 3. Another new entry on the list is Arcane season 2, the streamer's excellent animated action series set in the League of Legends universe. Below, we have listed the top 10 shows in the U.S. from November 4 to November 10, along with general information about each show, including genre, rating, cast, and synopsis.

Read more