Soaring Growth of Mobile Video Viewing Reveals Rising Need for Consumable Content

It’s no secret that mobile video viewership keeps growing and going strong, but the astronomical 719% increase in mobile video viewing between 2011 and 2013 is absolutely astounding. This stunning statistic is one of many mobile revelations found in The Global Video Index report from Ooyala, which also predicted that mobile viewership would double by the end of 2015 and comprise half of all online viewing by the end of 2016. These statements are bold, but mobile viewing is big and getting bigger every day. With the exponential growth we’ve seen so far and the expectations that it will go much farther, it’s clear that consumers crave more and more mobile video content. With this strong demand and even stronger proof of performance, marketers can’t afford to watch and wait as their competitors take on mobile and take over the market. FastCompany.com posted more from The Global Video Index to highlight why marketers must start producing more mobile material in order to capitalize on these content-craving video viewers.

Based on the report’s analysis of the viewing data from 200 million people, the holiday 2013 shopping season had a substantial impact on the shift toward mobile viewing. First, the popularity of online shopping spiked the level of online video viewing as consumers watched numerous product videos to learn more about possible presents.

Another major factor was that many people received tablets and smartphones as holiday gifts, which helped drive video viewing even higher through December. By the end of the year, a total of 26% of video viewing time was spent on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Considering that mobile already had a respectable 18% share of video viewership in October, there was an incredible increase in mobile video viewing time in a mere two months.

Today, mobile viewing is no longer limited to mere minutes or seconds. The report showed that more than half of mobile viewing time was spent watching videos that were longer than 30 minutes. And for video content that was more than hour, 31 percent of viewers chose to watch on mobile devices, yet traditional TVs were still preferred by 39% of viewers.

According to Forbes.com, Ooyala Vice President, Product, Jonathan Wilner, attributed the explosion in mobile video viewing to two factors. One was the increase in premium content available. The other was the technological change that is producing much better tablets, smartphones, and wireless coverage, which ease streaming both inside and outside of the home.

The message is clear that marketers can no longer ignore the prevalence and potential of mobile video viewership. As a result of its popularity, there has been a surge of demand for consumer content and that craving is only growing greater. Savvy marketers are already creating a stream of video content, but many more are just starting to mobilize their mobile video strategies and put out the content that’s pulling in viewers.

It’s never too soon to move into mobile, but you don’t want to wait until it’s just too late.

Stay up-to-the-minute on mobile marketing. Contact MDG today at 561-338-7797 or visit www.mdgsolutions.com.

MDG, a full-service advertising agency with offices in Boca Raton and New York, NY, is one of Florida’s top branding firms. MDG’s capabilities include print advertising, direct mail marketing, branding, logo design, creative, digital marketing, media buying and planning, radio and TV advertising, Web design and development, online video advertising, infographic development, email marketing, mobile marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, and SEO. To learn about the latest trends in advertising and branding, contact MDG today at 561-338-7797 or visit www.mdgsolutions.com.