A new report, released by video technology company Ooyala, has found that video plays on mobile devices have risen 114 per cent year-on-year. With mobile devices now making a third of all online video plays, the growth has been attributed to increased broadcasting and viewing of sports and news online.
With the release of Ooyala’s Global Video Index for Q3, more data has been released showing the continual and considerable growth of mobile video. As well as doubling over the year, mobile video plays have also increased 20 per cent quarter on quarter. This phenomenal rate of growth means that quarterly mobile video plays have increased 400 per cent since the third quarter of 2012.
The growth has been attributed to wider acceptance of live streaming and online video distribution. The past quarter saw several popular international sports events make their way online; the FIFA World Cup, Tour de France and Wimbledon are just a few. All were held in July, with widespread coverage and multiple sources providing video content worldwide. This caused a spike in mobile viewership but also digital views as a whole.
In emerging markets, where mobile-only internet access is more likely, mobile video audiences are guaranteed. In India, downloading of video content and viewing of live TV on streaming platforms – like Yamgo – is exceptionally popular.
With more broadcasters and publishers seeing the benefits of online content distribution, these numbers will only increase as rapid content generation becomes a priority.
This is great news for mobile advertisers, who have long been vouching for the effectiveness of the video format. The instant access and personal experience that mobile devices offer heighten user interaction, especially when combined with video content; engagement rates for video adverts on mobile devices are almost ten times that of video advertisements on desktop. This is ideal for marketers, who can expect the continued growth of the mobile sector to create a wider audience reach.
The viewing statistics also support the digital advertising industry standard of keeping adverts under 30 seconds.
Mobile device users show an obvious preference for short-form content, something that has been documented once again in the report. For both smartphones and tablets, videos under three minutes in length remain by far the most played category. However, tablets did see a rise in the amount of time users spend watching video content over 30 minutes. They now spend more time watching long-form video content than on desktop, which could be attributed to growing tablet sales and popularity.
Ooyala believes that by 2015, mobile devices will make up half of all online views. With smartphone sales gaining traction in developing countries and tablets seeing a rise throughout the market, it’s hard to disagree. The future of the internet is undoubtedly mobile. It’s now down to publishers and advertisers to prepare. Act now, not later, and enter a flourishing market early to reap the benefits.
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