Australian Online Video Statistics 2013
Australia has seen a significant technological shift in the manner Australians use the Internet.
According to a November Nielson report, 82 per cent of Australians spend an average of 23.3 hours online each week, which is 3.5 times more compared to 10 years ago.
With this increase in online connectivity, it is no surprise that the time Australians spend watching videos online has also increased, with a monthly average of 6 hours and 43 minutes on computers, 50 minutes on tablets and 1 hour and 20 minutes on smartphones.
Based on November’s social media statistics generated by Social Media News Australia, 12 million Australians visited YouTube within the month, which is an increase of 200,000 from October. That is approximately 53 per cent of the country’s population frequenting the popular online video distribution site.
With such strong figures, it is only practical that companies across Australia should consider video marketing campaigns as an advertising tool to reach their target audience.
Explaining this important shift in marketing strategies for businesses, Mr Andrew Begg, the CEO and Creative Director of Traffic, said: “Faster broadband networks and more affordable mobile technology has made it easy for millions of Australians to watch video online whenever and wherever they are.
“Just look around you on a train and it’s almost certain that there will be someone engaged in watching a video on their mobile. Businesses that haven’t thought about using online video as part of their marketing strategies may soon be left behind.”
With the rise of smartphones, which according to Nielson’s statistics is used by 61 per cent of Australians, the ability to download videos on the go has increased. Couple that with the fact that Internet speeds are getting faster, enabling swift downloads, mobile video consumption has become an important aspect of Australians lifestyle, be in on a public transport ride home, or lunch break at work.
With a well-presented, succinct and attention grabbing video, distributed through the proper channels, such as Facebook and YouTube, companies can easily find their video marketing effort going viral, popping up on computer and phone screens globally.
For example, in July 2010, prominent American brand Old Spice launched an online video featuring actor Isaiah Mustafa. The video instantly went viral and generated a view of over 6.7 million in a day! Three years on, and that same video has been viewed over 47 million times.
According to Mr Begg, an effective video campaign is not measured solely by the number of views, but also by “generating responses and parodies from other users, as this in turn increases brand awareness and enhances brand recall to ensure that the brand name stays in the minds of consumers”.
An increase in sales and enquiries during and after the campaign’s run is also indicative of how successful the video was in reaching its targeted audiences.
Online video marketing also allows Australian based companies to reach out to an international audience, something traditional marketing tools, such as print, billboards, and television advertisements are unable to achieve.
With YouTube’s one billion unique visitors a month across the globe, businesses can easily reach out to clients in countries like Singapore, Dubai, United Kingdom and the United States. This not only allows helps in generating a global database, it also brings about the possibility of an expansion out of Australia, according to clientele demands.
The idea behind creating a successful video advertising campaign is to ensure that companies are not just blatantly advertising their product. The content should be well-thought of, unique, creative and reaches out to the targeted audience, from start to finish.
Sharing his insights, Mr Begg suggested that companies interested in online video marketing should focus on “a creative idea that entertains and engages the viewer rather than blatantly sells a product”.
The idea for the video is king. You should not do it cheap; unless that’s the message you want to send out to your audience. The most watched videos online are professionally shot and produced, and make people laugh or cry. You want to fill them with amazement through your videos, so that they willingly tell their friends about the video regardless of its commercial intent. So get a professional on board and do it rightAndrew Begg – CEO Traffic
While some companies may be made for online advertising, others may not. But that is where the expertise of agencies like Traffic comes in. A dynamic digital video marketing campaign is never impossible with the right team of advertising creative, writers and art directors to oversee it.