http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/252749/more-than-50-of-all-video-views-on-mobile-devices.html
More Than 50% Of All Video Views On Mobile Devices? The Time Is Now, Ooyala Says
Foremost among the awesome stats in the Ooyala’s Q1 Global Video Index, out
today, is that viewing on mobile devices--smartphones and tablets--now makes up
42% of total online viewing.
That’s a dizzyingly large percentage-- in fact double what it was a year ago
when the company issued its Q1. Going backward, in Q1 of 2012 that percentage
was just 3.4%, then 9.2% by 2013.
Ooyala states, “Mobile video is on pace to exceed 50% of all online video plays
by the third quarter of this year, perhaps sooner.”
The reason it's happening is found in another stat: Screens size is becoming
irrelevant, even for longer video.
On tablets, this report says, 60% of the time spent on video is for content 10
minutes or longer.
But for connected TVs, that same figure is just 43%, which seems to suggest (to
me at least) that the shorthand belief that consumers will choose to view on
the biggest screen available is no longer true.
On mobile phones, 37% of the viewing is for at least ten minutes, and for PCs
it’s 35%, but again, keep your eye on mobile. Ooyala notes, pointedly, “access
to premium content from TV broadcasters seems to be of great interest to mobile
users.” (Here’s it helpful to point out that it’s of at least as great an
interest to Ooyala, which works with many major broadcasters worldwide.)
But even viewing of short videos is going through changes: Viewing of shorter
(less than 10 minute long) videos is now the stuff of PCs (65% of the views on
that device), slightly more than mobile phones (63%) which is really not much
more that connected TVs (57%).
In short, rather than remember the stats, it would probably be just as useful
to concede that all kinds of video is consumed on all kinds of devices, so plan
for all of them just about the same, as if mobile has the same viewer profile
as every other device.
But you don’t need my lecture. Take it from Ooyala’s report authors, instead,
who write:
“Publishers, broadcasters and service providers should view this as a critical
juncture, the point where a majority — rather than a plurality — of online
video views occur on mobile devices. Some operators have taken tactical steps
to address the broad consumer trends that are growing mobile video — like
pushing more content over the top, creating better user interfaces and
improving mobile monetization.”
They’re not done yet: “But with many providers still waiting on the sidelines
of the OTT game, it’s become increasingly obvious that in large part, the
industry is lagging in execution of mobile initiatives. As our data shows, the
audience is clearly ready and waiting for more. Any long-term plan should
address quality of delivery, service and user experience, improved and expanded
search and discovery and universal monetization strategies.”
Ooyala says the report “reflects the anonymized online video metrics of the
vast majority” of its 500 or so customers. Ooyala processes 3.5 billion
analytics events each day, and ingested 100 million minutes of video last year,
delivered to over 220 million uniques worldwide.
Keeping them ingesting is the trick, as other parts of this report note. For
right now, at least, ad completion rates for online videos from broadcasters
are very high: 90% on PCs, 89% for tablets and 79% for mobile devices. Ooyala
says that’s because most of that viewing is long form, and viewers recognize
they’ve got to stand by for the advertisements. On the other hand,
non-broadcast publishers don’t fare as well: Their completion rates are 73%
for PC, 71% for mobile, and 67% for tablets.
Mostly, Ooyala says, that’s because their shorter videos seem easier to leave
(and I’d guess, were not chosen with as much thought). Still, odd, isn’t it,
that short videos, really still the bread and butter of the online video
experience, aren’t necessarily bankable on the device that you'd imagine would
be their best screen.
pj@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
