According to a Burst Media survey of online U.S. adults aged 18 or older, 71.6% of web users overall watch online video content in a typical week, and 39.0% of all viewers spend between one and
five hours per week with online video. Men aged 18-34 are the heaviest consumers of online video content, with 19.7% saying they consume 10 or more hours of video on the web per week.
39.1% of
viewers say they typically watch full-length television shows, movies and/or sporting events on the Internet. 25.5% of online viewers watch news, sports and entertainment highlights of regular
television programming online, and 49.7% say they also watch user-generated content.
Comedy is the most popular form of online video content among all viewers (38.8%), followed by news (33.3%)
and music (31.2%). However, there are some dramatic differences between what men and women typically watch online:
- Women are more likely than men to watch educational videos (31.2% vs.
24.5%) and drama (24.7% vs. 13.9%)
- Men are more likely than women to watch sports (31.2% vs. 8.2%) and animation/cartoons (22.0% vs. 11.3%)
Compared to standard display media
on the web, viewers are more likely to interact and engage with online video. 24.1% of men aged 35-54 say they have taken an action, as have 22.1% of women aged 35-54. Men aged 55 or older are the
most likely group to take an action after viewing an online video ad.
And, eMarketer notes that the number of viewers over 65 is expected to nearly double between 2011 and 2015, and the number
of older boomers watching video online will increase by double-digit percentages through 2014, adding millions to online video advertisers’ responsive audiences.
US Online Video Viewers Visiting Site or Purchasing After Viewing Online Video Ad (% of
Respondents by Group) |
| % Group Respondents Taking
Action |
Age Group | Male | Female |
18-34 | 9.2% | 14.5% |
35-54 | 24.1 | 22.1 |
55+ | 26.3 | 19.1 |
Source: Burst Media, November 2011 |
Interestingly, 80.8% online video viewers say they also use the Internet while they are
watching television. 49.0%)say they either always or often surf the web while watching, and only 14.3% say they never go online while watching television.
Online Video Viewers Using Internet While Watching TV (% of Respondents) |
Frequency of Use | % of Respondents |
Always | 15.3% |
Often | 33.7 |
Sometimes | 20.5 |
Rarely | 11.3 |
Never | 14.3 |
NA | 4.8 |
Source: Burst Media, November 2011 |
Burst Media Marketing Director, Mark Kaefer, says "Web publishers... could benefit from incorporating video content into their sites... to align their messaging with
content...”
For additional information, please visit Burst Media here.