Shorter videos (those under 20 minutes) still lead the way in time spent watching across all digital platforms. However, due to the plethora of premium content now available on multiple devices, long-form videos (those over 20 minutes) are rapidly growing in popularity.
Ooyala is a company that develops software to serve and monetize video content. According to its Q1 2017 Global Video Index, the majority of time spent viewing long-form digital videos across all screen is at 63%. Additionally, 98% of time spent watching connected television is on long-form video. That’s a 15% increase from a year ago. And time spent watching long-form video content on tablets is now at 81%, which has increased a whopping 30% from last year. Long-form video viewing on computers increased from 35% to 65%. On smartphones, those viewing habits are up 29% from Q1 2016.
As far as OTT (over-the-top) video consumption, smartphones and tablets lead the way. In fact, the two accounted for approximately 57% of all video plays on a global level in Q1 2017. This figure shows that marketers and their agencies must not ignore the growing importance of smartphone and tablet viewing, regardless of the length of the video.
Although it’s unlikely that long-form digital video viewing, including SVOD (subscription viewing on demand), will fully replace broadcast, satellite and cable in the near future, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. With the advertising landscape constantly changing, we must continually search for the most cost-efficient and effective ways to stay relevant, maximize brand awareness and increase ROI.