Mobile audiences matter most for video consumption and advertising growth
Mobile devices are beginning to dominate online video viewing, according to a new study looking at first quarter 2015 figures. During the first quarter of 2015, mobile phone plays outpaced tablet views of video content by more than four to one, with 34% of all plays occurring on smartphones and only 8% on tablets.
Ooyala, a Telstra subsidiary and provider of premium video publishing, analytics and monetisation, released its first quarter 2015 Global Video Index that shows mobile devices made up 42% of all online viewing during the quarter.
Smartphones are driving the majority of mobile video viewing growth, receiving four times more plays than tablets during the quarter. The report also shows that TV broadcasters, compared to publishers and brands, lead the trend with more than half of all views on mobile devices, and illustrates how more video advertising is also shifting from PCs to mobile devices.
The report highlights the profitability potential to build content strategies around mobile as it continues to grow more rapidly than any other viewing option. In the first quarter 2015, plays on tablets and smartphones together increased more than 24%, up 100% since the first quarter 2014 and a huge 367% increase over the past two years.
Of note, TV broadcasters prove to be the most savvy, taking advantage of the revenue potential tied to mobile viewing. Regarding advertising, when an ad starts on a tablet for broadcasters the viewer completes the ad 89% of the time, while smartphone users complete ads 79% of the time. Further, in the quarter TV broadcasters saw 53% of their content plays on mobile devices, compared to 31% for publishers and for brands.
The growth of mobile and tablets during this quarter supports the Ooyala prediction that viewing will make up 50% of all online viewing before the end of 2015.
This report shows the opportunity for content providers to personalise their experiences, increasing engagement and ultimately revenue. Tracking the ‘discovery starts ratio’, which is the success rate of how often a recommended video is actually played, Ooyala found that consumers will view recommended content as often as 50% of the time.
Breaking down into verticals, the report shows: among news broadcasters, the ‘discovery starts ratio’ was 33% to 44%; for sports broadcasters, it was 40% to 53%; and for consumer publishers, the ratio was at least 33% and as high as 58%.
Said Jay Fulcher, chief executive officer at Ooyala: “Our data is indicative of the rapid pace of change in consumer viewing behaviour, which creates new challenges and opportunities for content producers, service providers, and advertisers. We’re seeing a confluence of major trends that are reshaping audiences on a massive scale – in particular, ubiquitous TV-capable mobile devices, and a major influx of premium content streaming to, and in many cases produced for, over the top services. A mobile-first mentality with a keen eye on personalisation has never been more important.”
The report also showed that content from broadcasters played more than 53% of the time on mobile devices compared to 47% on PCs, a major shift in the distribution of video play likely driven by younger viewers, Millennials in particular.
