Global online video viewing will rise 20% in 2017, according to Zenith\u2019s Online Video Forecasts 2017, published on Monday.<\/p>\n
Global consumers will spend an average of 47.4 minutes a day viewing videos online this year, up from 39.6 minutes in 2016.<\/p>\n
This increase will be driven by a 35% increase in viewing on mobile devices – smartphones and tablets – to 28.8 minutes a day, while viewing on fixed devices – desktop PCs, laptops and smart TVs –\u00a0 will rise by just 2% to 18.6 minutes a day, said ROI agency, Zenith.<\/p>\n
The company clarified that online video includes all video content viewed over an internet connection, including broadcaster-owned platforms like Hulu, \u2018over-the-top\u2019 subscription services like Netflix, video-sharing sites like YouTube, and videos viewed on social media, like Facebook.<\/p>\n
“The amount of available video content is rising rapidly across all platforms, but social media platforms have been particularly quick to embrace video over the last couple of years.<\/p>\n
“They have added tools to encourage users and brands to create and share videos, and are now broadcasting live video streams, such as sport events. In many markets Facebook is now the second-biggest supplier of video content, after YouTube, it said.<\/p>\n
Zenith said that 2017 will be the peak year of fixed-device video, which global consumers will spend an average of 19 minutes a day viewing. Viewing on smart TVs continues to rise, but not rapidly enough to compensate for the decline in viewing on desktops and laptops, as consumers shift their attention to mobile devices.<\/p>\n
“We forecast viewing on fixed devices to shrink 1% in 2018 and 2% in 2019,” it said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile mobile video viewing \u2013 averaging 29 minutes a day this year \u2013 will grow 25% in 2018 and 29% in 2019, driven by the spread of mobile devices, improved displays and faster mobile data connections.<\/p>\n
By 2019, mobile devices will account for 72% of all online video viewing, up from 61% this year, Zenith.<\/p>\n