More people are viewing video online all the time. Bill Gates is even predicting that online video will replace TV. How important is this trend for you? And how do you get your video in front of viewers? Keep reading to find out more.
The trend began in 2006, with maybe 10 percent of web surfers saying they watched video online. Then Techcrunch reported a survey from Motorola that revealed 45 percent of European broadband users watch at least some TV online. Those numbers date to May 2007; today they’re quite a bit higher.
In fact, let’s switch continents and move forward in time. An article from the BBC in January reported n American online video viewing habits. It noted that the writers’ strike fueled interest in online video viewing, with some sites doubling their audience. About 53 percent of men and 43 percent of women reported viewing videos over the Internet, according the Pew Internet project.
But the age demographics really deserve a look. About 70 percent of those under 30 use video sites. Not surprisingly, the number of people watching videos online is set to keep growing. According to eMarketer, by 2012, 62 percent of the total US population and 88 percent of the online US community will be watching videos via the Internet.
What’s more, the way people watch videos has been diversifying, and that trend looks set to continue. Not everyone watching online video is sitting at a desktop computer. There are the inevitable laptop users, of course, but more people are viewing video on the go as well. Some download video from the Internet for later viewing on iPods and iPod-like players, while others may get on the web using their smartphones and view video directly online. You can thank advanced technology for the growth of the mobile web – and the ability to view online video from just about anywhere.
The implication seems pretty clear: if you have a product or service that you want to pitch to the under-30 set, you might want to consider reaching your audience with online video. And even if it’s aimed at an older crowd, they’re going to be watching online videos – if not now, then soon. Don’t you want to be where they are?
Search Optimization 
