Data Reveals Earlier 'Primetime' For Online Video, Could Impact Daypart Planning

New data released Wednesday by online audience researcher comScore reveals some interesting "daypart" patterns for the burgeoning online video marketplace. The data, which comes from a new service dubbed Video Metrix, shows that prime-time viewing of online videos peaks hours earlier in the day than for traditional TV platforms like broadcast, cable and satellite TV. The data is interesting because usage of online video is expanding rapidly, but so far has not begun to impact usage levels of traditional TV outlets, which Nielsen data indicates are continuing to grow, not decline as people use more online video.

According to the comScore data, online video usage peaks weekdays between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., just as traditional TV prime-time usage begins to ascend. According to Nielsen's data, traditional TV prime-time usage, which occurs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. everyday except Sunday (7 p.m. to 11 p.m.), has been stable for the past several years, accounting for about 23% of all daily viewing.

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Over the past several years, prime-time's dominance over TV viewing has been waning, falling, and TV usage patterns have begun to spread out throughout the day. As online video becomes incorporated as another platform in the mix, its usage patterns will likely impact the way advertisers and agencies look at their daypart mixes.

One obvious reason for the difference between online and conventional TV usage patterns, is online video can be accessed anywhere, and anytime users have a connection to the Internet.

"Marketers have a great opportunity to leverage Internet video in conjunction with their traditional TV buy and essentially double their 'primetime' commercial airing hours," said Erin Hunter, executive vice president of comScore. "'Primetime' TV viewing occurs between 8:00 and 11:00 P.M., while 'primetime' viewing of online video occurs during the preceding block of time -- between 5:00 and 8:00 P.M. on weekdays. Shrewd marketers will utilize a multi-channel strategy to capitalize on these adjacent 'primetime' blocks in order to maximize their marketing impact."

Video Consumption Analysis by Daypart: January 2007

Daypart Time Segments

Daypart Hours as a Percent of Total Week

Daypart Share of Weekly Video Consumption

Daypart Index*

Weekday Total

71.4%

74.7%

105

Monday - Friday, 1:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M.

17.9%

5.9%

33

Monday - Friday, 7:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.

8.9%

6.9%

78

Monday - Friday, 10:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

20.8%

30.5%

146

Monday - Friday, 5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.

8.9%

14.3%

160

Monday - Friday, 8:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.

8.9%

11.8%

132

Monday - Friday, 11:00 P.M. - 1:00 A.M.

6.0%

5.4%

90

Weekend Total

28.6%

25.3%

88

Saturday - Sunday, 1:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M.

8.3%

2.8%

34

Saturday - Sunday, 8:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

6.0%

5.4%

91

Saturday - Sunday, 1:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.

7.1%

8.5%

119

Saturday - Sunday, 7:00P.M. - 11:00 P.M.

4.8%

6.2%

131

Saturday - Sunday, 11:00P.M. - 1:00 A.M.

2.4%

2.3%

96

Source: comScore Video Metrix. *Daypart Index = (Daypart Share of Weekly Video Consumption / Daypart Hours as a percent of Total Week) x 100.

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