It’s official video has crossed its tipping point – and not the ubiquitous viral YouTube video clips, but long form TV-style content. Latest online video viewing data from Nielsen show US online video use leaping 45% year on year as people switch from TV screens to laptop screens. But if you looked just at the collective reach of online video, you’d be missing the full picture. Here’s why…
Online video gained few viewers over the 12 month period ending January 31st, but the time viewers spent watching video increased considerably.
The number of people who watched videos online in January was only 3.1 percent higher than in January 2010, according to the Nielsen Company.
But the average viewer spent more time in front of the computer watching video. On average, viewers spent 4 hours 39 minutes watching online video in January, an almost 45 percent increase from the period a year earlier.
The increase reflects the growth in popularity of sites including Netflix which saw notable gains in video viewers, increasing 15.6% from December 2010.
