45m a month watch original online video
April 30, 2013
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released an in-depth research study focused on the growing reach and impact of digital video – revealing that original professional online video (OPOV) captures the attention of 45 million US viewers per month.
“Consumers are rapidly turning to digital video for entertainment, news and information, and advertiser demand to reach this growing audience is expanding in kind,” said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO, IAB. “The wealth of original professional digital programming being presented at the Digital Content NewFronts is evidence of the public’s hunger for new, compelling content available online. It is a watershed moment. And, this study provides valuable insights that can help marketers take advantage of this momentum, and effectively tap into the evolution of the digital video platform as a central hub for must-watch original programming.”
The study was conducted in partnership with GfK and surveyed over 2,400 people, representing the US adult population in order to identify and question over 1000 avid video viewers that screen programming across various platforms. The results clearly demonstrate that original professional online video programming is hitting strong benchmarks when compared to traditional television. Receptivity to marketing messages during OPOV was directly in line with consumer ad receptiveness while watching primetime television programming on a regular TV set. Plus, those surveyed who view both primetime TV and OPOV cited viewing new, unique content and flexible screening times as preferable aspects of OPOV over primetime television viewing.
“It is very exciting to have the opportunity to benchmark viewing levels to original professionally produced online video as the ad marketplace is evolving,” said Sherrill Mane, Senior Vice President, Research, Analytics and Measurement, IAB. “It is particularly telling that this kind of programming is attracting a large following – 45 million already – while also bringing viewing experiences and ad receptivity that compare favorably with regular TV.”
The demos also speak to the appeal of original professional online programming, with younger adults 18-34 (31 per cent) and males (24 per cent) exhibiting markedly higher OPOV monthly viewing levels.
When it comes to which digital device consumers use to watch this type of video, laptops (used by 50 per cent of monthly OPOV viewers) were far and away the favourite pick, followed by:
– Desktop computers (39 per cent)
– Internet connected TVs (27 per cent)
– Smartphones (26 per cent)
– Tablets (23 per cent)
No matter which device consumers choose for streaming purposes, the majority (89 per cent) of OPOV viewing happens at home. The same goes for the viewing of user-generated content (UGC) and traditional TV programming online (88 per cent vs. 93 per cent).
Looking at how social media channels are leveraged during viewing, the research finds that OPOV and UGC viewers (41 per cent vs. 56 per cent) tend to integrate social media much more within their online video experiences in comparison to those watching TV online (35 per cent).