YuMe and Verto Analytics have released research quantifying a ‘day in the digital life’ journey of US video consumers.
The study showcases the breadth of touchpoints throughout the day as consumers engage with apps and video across computers, smartphones, tablets, connected TV, gaming consoles and other media streaming devices.
Video consumption varies by distinct personas across a number of dimensions. The findings revealed the smartphone’s dominance as the primary connected household device and also highlighted strong growth in streaming media player use.
“We are now in the era of the ‘liquid audience,’ which is characterized by dynamic movement across devices and more variable video viewing behaviors,” said Paul Neto, senior research director, YuMe.
“Digital video – both ad-supported and subscription-based – provides prime opportunities for advertisers, brands and media to impact the 24-hour journey of digital engagement. In order to reach and influence this audience, brands need to employ a multi-platform video strategy that delivers cohesive messaging, optimising for reach, frequency and relevancy.”
Consumers’ daily digital journey includes numerous device touchpoints. 64% of game console owners own or regularly use a tablet. 81% of users who own or regularly use a streaming media device own a PC.
Small number of users generate the bulk of video sessions. 10% of users generate sixty percent of long-form and forty-three percent of short-form video sessions as video consumption behavior varies greatly across four identified video personas.
Smartphones are the most prevalent household device. Smartphones surpassed PCs as the most prevalent household device, while streaming media players recorded the biggest growth among all video device types in 2015. Tablets have the highest reach among monthly video streamers.
Connected home devices are additive, not replacements, for existing devices. Connected home entertainment devices such as smart TVs, streaming media players and game consoles are complementing primary online devices like PCs, smartphones and tablets, rather than competing against them. While smartphone and PC usage peaks throughout the day, consumers shift to entertainment in the evening on home entertainment devices. Music streaming is the second-most accessed content after video on home entertainment devices.
“Modern digital consumers have become more complex with the adoption of new digital device types. Consumption of digital video is not a predictable exercise that occurs at specific times of day, on a specific device. As this real-life activity tracking research demonstrates, video viewers’ habits are a function of many variables with digital connections happening around the clock across multiple screens,” said Dr. Hannu Verkasalo, CEO and founder, Verto Analytics.
“This research affirms, through real-life activity tracking, that brands and advertisers cannot ignore the need for a cross-platform video strategy.”
Data was collected using the Verto Smart Panel, a patented comprehensive measurement tool that presents all screens and media types in a statistically driven, single-source measurement panel. Participants included approximately 8,000 U.S. adults over the age of 18.
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