Studying the impact of innovation on business and society

The Proliferation of Online Video


Source: Shutterstock

Online video continues to capture the attention of producers and viewers, with the market as well as industry leaders, leading us into a more pervasive form of video entertainment, communication and education.

With YouTube quickly transforming from a user-generated video network into an invaluable repository for content, the associated behavior for creating, uploading, discovering, and watching online videos is evolving.  What many have yet to realize are the effects YouTube has aroused. It is where many online experiences begin and end.

As the Web turns, everything begins with search…

Just last year, YouTube made headlines when searches performed in the network surpassed those actions in Yahoo, positioning a video social network as the second most active and popular search engine, second only to Google.

Now the industry for online video is maturing and expanding, and with it, our attention is shifting away from traditional information sources and our appetite for creating and watching social video is only burgeoning.

With Social Media-ready video cameras such as the ever-popular Flip and Kodak’s Z-series, as well as the integrated Web cameras in most notebooks shipped today, the ability to quickly and easily shoot and share continues to lower the barrier to entry.

Nielsen released its latest report for online VideoCensus numbers for October and it documents a continued rise in engagement.

The total number of video streams was up from 11.02 billion in September 2009 to 11.2 billion in October. The number of video streams per person was also up in October, increasing to 81 in October over 79.1 in September. Time spent per viewer also jumped from 195.2 minutes in September to 212.5 minutes in October.


Source: NewTeeVee

One of the most interesting revelations to emerge from Nielsen’s latest study was the rise of Facebook to the third most active video network. In fact, Facebook surpassed Hulu in terms of unique viewers, but trailed in total streams viewed. According to Facebook statistics, more than 14 million videos are uploaded each month. However, YouTube is the dominant player and remains in a league of its own with over 6 billion viewed streams and over 100 million unique viewers in October.

As online video continues to reflect the culture of our society, we can expect the ascendancy of video in social networks, ranging from not only consumer-created content, but also that of exclusive studio content, programming and feature-length movies.

As engagement evolves, the convergence between the small screen (your desktop) and the big screen (your TV) is inevitable.  Online content, combined with the trends driving the social, mobile, and real-time Web is forging a Golden Triangle that is already a pervasive foundation in the lives of many everyday consumers.

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22 COMMENTS ON THIS POST To “The Proliferation of Online Video”

  1. alejandrorecio says:

    Now users decide what and when they want to see things, they’re shifting the balance of media giving them control not just the remote control.
    Online video is the future, not only does it give a infinite visual library to every user, it empowers the creativity of individuals, which in many cases holds a bigger wait than the million of dollars poured into cookie cut productions that fall under the mistake of underestimating their audiences.

    thanks a lot, great info

  2. Hey Brian,

    Loving the blog…how you been?

    -Yahya Mokhtarzada (formerly of Freewebs)

  3. My personal belief is that the integration of small screen and large screen is what will lead us into the next generation of social integration (Web 3.0?). It's beginning to happen already in very small doses, and it will be fascinating to watch and participate in as it grows.

    Side note: When will New Media U be accepting apps for students?

  4. stevepoppe says:

    Hey Brian. If you think video is hot now, wait until all mobile phones are video capable with good sound recording. It's around the corner.

  5. Pedro Lelis says:

    Many companies here in Brazil changed their advertising from big screen to pc screen, but they still don't know how to grip the viewers. I work in a pharmacy ( the biggest in the state) and they just spent about U$ 150.000 in a marketing campaign and had only 170 views in youtube. Companies still forgetting the focus on public, they need to stop to think only in brand's promotion and think more about what's people want to interact and enjoy.

    Ps.: I just arrived in the company and made the diagnostic, that's why I didn't stop this huge waste of money and time.

    Great Blog Brian, I'm your follower on twitter.

  6. eric sanders says:

    online video is headed in one direction – which is up. there's too much good stuff out there for people actually paying for cable tv or satellite. I just watch stuff online now. especially with Hulu and stuff giving out programming for free…for now.

    I just started using a new service called TVDeck which helps find videos in different categories…its pretty cooll, i found out about it from venturebeat.

  7. Just the kick in the butt I needed, Brian. I have no good reason to not do more video. I still have–probably unfounded–concerns about SEO with regard to video vs. the written word, but it's clear as day: when we look at the top bloggers (by almost any metric), they are interspersing video with their posts more and more. Thanks.

  8. André de Woot says:

    Ok, Ok, I agree but … my video, your video, …. Living experience, share emotions … It seems that consumers go faster than media, news, information, education world with this new technology revolution ! But is it a permanent trend ? Everything is so quick now ! But also ephemeral ! Convergence of material is sure ! But what next ? About quality information ? Good analysis versus quick & dirty information ? Qualified audience versus clicks & figures ?

  9. awaldstein says:

    Great discussion.

    What's your sense of where Facebook is going with no cost video storage?

  10. kosso says:

    Good stuff!
    But I'm amazed to only see the word 'mobile' used once in the article. And not in the context that so much online video can now be created and consumed on mobile devices.

    Kosso
    Founder : Phreadz : Social Multimedia Networking

    http://phreadz.com

  11. Arijit Das says:

    Nice Post!!! Thanks for sharing it with me… 😀

  12. Per your reply above, I give you my first video. Thanks for inspiring the effort.

    http://daretocomment.com/blog-comments-build-yo

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