Online video ad value may increase as more Americans watch TV on the web
Published June 17, 2010
Television commercials hold a high value among many marketers as they act as a gateway directly to a wide audience of possible customers. That trend may change, though, as more consumers begin to watch their favorite shows on the internet instead of in the living room.
According to a recent report from eMarketer, one-third of adults in the U.S. watch full-length television shows online. That number has risen considerably during the past two years, up nearly 10 percent since 2008. As more television networks begin offering their most popular shows online, this number will continue to grow, with the source predicting that 39 percent of internet users watching their favorite programs online in 2011.
The number of television-watching internet users is even higher among the lucrative 18 to 24 age group. According to the survey, 86 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds watch TV online.
As a result of this growing trend, many companies are looking to implement new solutions to satisfy these consumers. For example, many TV manufacturers are looking to include web applications into their hardware devices, while online video publishers, like Hulu, are beginning to shift toward subscription-supported services, reports eMarketer.
In the month of April, more than 170 million internet users in the U.S. alone watched online videos. This number represents almost 80 percent of the total number of web-browsing Americans, reports comScore.