On average, Canadians are watching 21 videos per week on YouTube and 2% said they watched between 100 and 300 in the past week. Their reasons for watching more YouTube content seem to be mainly because there is more and better content in general but also because there is more content catering to various interests as well as how-to videos and tutorials – from cooking to snowboarding – that inform and educate.

It doesn’t seem so long ago that YouTube was viewed as a bit of time waster and not taken very seriously. Now, after eight years of operation, it has evolved into a potent and credible channel for video entertainment. To celebrate its status as a legitimate medium, YouTube staged a major event on March 20 to announce it now has in excess of 1 billion unique users every month. That equates to viewership the size of 10 Super Bowl audiences.

With numbers like that it makes sense that, according to YouTube, all of the AdAge Top 100 Brands are running campaigns on the site. Pre-roll video ads are becoming quite common and on their last viewing occasion, 46% of Canadians were exposed to a pre-roll ad – and 30% of those viewers watched the pre-roll ad in its entirety.

In the past month, 22% of Canadians watched YouTube video on an internet-enabled device other than a PC or laptop. As content improves in quality, Canadians increasingly want to watch their favourite video on the big screen as well. One-in-five (19%) connected their PC or laptop to a bigger TV screen to watch YouTube. We expect this trend to continue apace with the explosion in the numbers of connected-TV sets, smart TVs and TV apps.

Although its roots are in short-form video, engaging longer content is increasingly popular making YouTube a launching pad for aspiring new talent and we’re seeing the emergence of a new star system. Top YouTubers among Canadians include names like Jenna Marbles and Nigahiga, Shane Dawson and Smosh.com.

Epic Meal Time is a Canadian success story. At #3 in our list of top 15 YouTubers among Canadians, Epic Meal Time has attracted 4.1 million subscribers worldwide. Its special episode with Jamie Oliver attracted 1.6 million views.

But beyond the pre-roll ads, YouTube is also a popular tool for those doing pre-purchase research. In the past month, 29% (about 7.5 million Canadian consumers) have a watched a YouTube video for or related to something they are interested in buying.

With this type of consumer behaviour and the news that some of the popular YouTube channels may soon up their game and charge subscribers, the opportunities for advertisers to reach targeted, engaged audiences are becoming virtually endless.

Technical: The results of YouTube in-depth comes from SRG’s Digital Life Canada study which interviews 1,000 online Canadian consumers aged 12 and older every quarter.

But did all those viewers ‘binge view’ the series? Some did, but many are watching at their own pace, according to the research. One-in-three (30%) House of Cards viewers watched all 13 episodes in less than four weeks of its release, 34% watched 4-12 episodes so far and 35% are just started, watching 3 episodes or less. The average number of episodes consumed among House of Cards viewers since release was 7.1, suggesting that when left to make their own scheduling decisions, viewers consumed about 2 episodes per week.

‘Binge viewing’ was significantly more prevalent in the 18-34 demographic – the new generation of TV viewers. Among viewers of House of Cards in the A18-34 demo, 40% already watched all 13 episodes. Among viewers 35+, only 18% finished watching all the episodes. Average number of episodes viewed so far was 7.9 in the A18-34 demo vs. 6.1 among A35+ viewers.

The research also found that the total audience for House of Cards could double over the long term. In addition to the 27% of Netflix subscribers who have started watching, another 34% said they have heard about the show and would like to watch in the future.

Technical: The research was conducted online as part of a national Omni study of 1,200 online Canadians between February 28-March 1, 2013 by Solutions Research Group (SRG).

]]> http://www.srgnet.com/2013/03/07/to-binge-or-not-that-is-the-question/feed/ 0 http://www.srgnet.com/2012/12/19/happy-holidays-from-srg/ http://www.srgnet.com/2012/12/19/happy-holidays-from-srg/#comments Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:00:01 +0000 srgnet.com http://www.srgnet.com/?p=719

Social TV is industry lingo to describe social interaction that occurs between viewers as they watch TV. The interaction can include posts on Twitter and Facebook, plus conversations on new mobile apps that allow people to watch TV as well as connect with viewers and fans who have identified the same TV preferences.

On Facebook, for instance, the percentage of users who said they’ve posted a comment about a TV show jumped to 31%, up from 25% a year prior. A further 29% of them had “liked” a TV show, up from 26%. Fourteen percent have also “liked” a TV channel, up from 9%.

On Twitter, 17% posted a link to a video or clip from a TV show, up from 14% the year prior. As well, a quarter of them have posted a comment about a TV show on Twitter.

So who is the typical social TV viewer? They cross all demographics, but 88% of them are between the ages of 12 and 49 and the average age is 33. Social TV viewers are also slightly more likely to be female than male (54% versus 46%).  There are also regional variances. Ontario accounts for 40% of the social TV viewers, followed by the West (31%), Quebec (19%) and the Atlantic provinces (10%).

Given the changing nature of how people watch TV, social TV represents an exciting new opportunity for content creators and broadcasters to build both audience advocacy and engagement. For advertisers and advertising agencies, the promise of social TV is to create ad executions and platforms for brands that integrate both broadcast and social media in a meaningful way.

The Digital Life Canada study shows when posting on social networks while watching TV, 27% of online Canadians said they were commenting about the content of a show; 16% were expressing how much they liked or loved a show; and 8% were commenting about a particular character or contestant on a reality show.

Looking at the data, Twitter has also become a legitimate vehicle for broadcasters to connect with their audiences. A quarter of Canadian Twitter users now follow a TV show on the social network, up from 21% the year prior. And 15% of them said they’ve tuned into a TV show as a result of being reminded by a tweet, up from 11% the year prior.

Still, new mobile apps that allow users to simultaneously watch TV content and connect with friends as well as fans of a program are in their infancy, with single-digit usage, at least in Canada.

GetGlue, an app that allows viewers to “check in” to a TV program they’re watching, has awareness of 10% among online Canadians, but only 3% have actually used the app. GetGlue was the top mobile app in the category, followed by iPeel also with 3% usage and brand awareness of 8%.

Technical: The results are based on a survey of 1,000 online Canadian consumers conducted in late summer 2012 as part of SRG’s quarterly Digital Life Canada tracking study.

In addition to the buzz about iPad Mini, sales for tablets this holiday season will also benefit from positive word of mouth. Tablet users report being very happy with their devices, and that the devices allow them to be more connected, mobile and efficient. Because of their tablets, one-in-ten users say they use their laptops/desktops less.

Apple iPad leads the Canadian market with 59% share, followed by RIM`s Playbook, Galaxy Tab, Acer and Asus plus several other smaller players.

Technical: The results are based on a survey of 1,000 Canadian consumers conducted in late summer 2012 as part of SRG’s quarterly Digital Life Canada tracking study.

]]> http://www.srgnet.com/2012/10/02/tablet-penetration-grows-set-to-take-off/feed/ 0 http://www.srgnet.com/2012/08/30/mobile-wallet-awareness-on-the-rise/ http://www.srgnet.com/2012/08/30/mobile-wallet-awareness-on-the-rise/#comments Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:13:31 +0000 srgnet.com http://www.srgnet.com/?p=676 Continue reading →]]> Awareness of being able to use smartphones to pay for products and services at point of purchase has reached critical mass among a key demo: users of mobile banking apps, which represent 36% of all Canadians smartphone users, accounting for nearly 4 million people.

Of those users, 56% of them are aware of an upcoming service that would allow them to swipe their phone to pay for goods and services at check out, according to results from our Digital Life Canada Survey.  That figure is up from 47% a year earlier.

Why the increase in awareness? It may have to do with the buzz about NFC-chip enabled devices. Our study also found consumers with mobile banking apps are ‘very’ satisfied with the app they use most (67%, up from 63% the year prior), which may translate into their willingness to hear about other ways their mobile device can help improve their financial lives.

Our study shows simple awareness of the mobile wallet concept translates into usage intent. Convenience, speed and the promise that it would mean they would have to carry fewer things with them was cited as the primary reason among 63% of respondents.

Comments like, “who doesn’t have their phone glued to them all the time, much easier than carrying a wallet,” was a typical sentiment expressed by respondents.

Still, many respondents also expressed an underlying concern about security, wanting to know more about the service before they commit to trying it. It will be up to the providers of a mobile wallet service to reassure consumers.

In terms of service providers, we found mobile banking users would trust a variety of retailers and mobile brands who may offer new financial services via mobile.

In an average rating out of 10 in terms of consumer trust level, chartered banks like TD, BMO were tops, with a trust score of 7.5. They were followed closely by credit card companies like American Express, Visa and MasterCard at 7.0; mobile phone manufacturers like Apple and RIM at 6.7; and retailers like Canadian Tire, Home Depot and Wal-Mart at 6.5.

Wireless providers like Rogers, Bell and Telus scored 6.4. Still, telecom companies are the ones who already have a pre-existing relationship with wireless customers. Like financial companies, mobile manufacturers and mass retailers, telcos will have a shot at the potentially lucrative service that is the digital wallet. In a race for market share that has only just begun, there is no odds-on favourite.

Technical: The results are based on a survey of 1,000 Canadian consumers conducted in spring 2012 as part of SRG’s quarterly Digital Life Canada tracking study.

Canadians do more things on the Internet more often, from playing games and streaming movies to making social media updates and downloading music. Yet even as digital devices like tablets have made Internet access more portable, increased use hasn’t had a corresponding impact in terms of consumer literacy.

According to SRG’s Digital Life Canada quarterly, most Canadians (66%) have no idea if they have a usage cap for their home Internet and, even if they do know, what the cap may be. That figure is virtually unchanged from 68% a year earlier, despite all the buzz and public outcry about usage-based billing a year ago.

A majority of Canadians ( 56%) also don’t know the download speed of their home Internet connection. And, 64% of them also have no idea how many gigabytes they consume through their home Internet connection each month. That figure is down slightly from 67% a year ago, which illustrates lack of knowledge that continues to be prevalent in the marketplace.

The bottom line? ISPs who advertise their data and speed specs in their ads to gain customers have to be more creative to make sure the message hits the mark. [Image Credit: DeclanTM]

According to SRG’s quarterly Digital Life Canada study, the iPad accounted for 56% of the tablets in Canadian homes in Q1 2012 compared to Q2 2011 when it had over 80% of the tablet market.

Given iPad sales continue to be robust, Apple’s shrinking market share can be attributed in part to a fast-growing category with more product variety. But there is also clearly an appetite for devices with smaller-screen sizes that allow for more portability than the iPad, not to mention at a significantly lower price point. Research in Motion’s Playbook increased its share to 19% while Acer and Asus accounted for 6% and 5% respectively.

No wonder, if media reports are to be believed, Apple is in the process of making a smaller version of the iPad.

Even as the screen sizes get smaller, and the size of screens for smartphones get larger, the Digital Life Canada study shows Canadians use their tablets differently than their smartphones and, more often than not, predominantly in the comfort of their homes. While many Canadians take their smartphone with them almost everywhere they go, the study found on average Canadians only took their tablet with them only 28% of the time when leaving the house.

Canadians who have both devices also have different apps for their tablet than they do their smartphone. Respondents were more likely, for instance, to have apps on their tablets in the category of ebooks (56% versus 22%), entertainment (52% versus 40%) and games (76% versus 63%) than their smartphone.

In fact, in only two areas were Canadians more likely to have an app on their smartphone than their tablet: messaging, and shopping.

Technical: The results are based on a survey of 1,000 Canadian consumers conducted in spring 2012 as part of SRG’s quarterly Digital Life Canada tracking study.

The fifth edition of the independent tracking survey is based on interviews with 1,400 American consumers in March 2012 who evaluated 73 TV brands.

ABC was identified as the top “must-keep” TV brand in by 51% of all respondents overall, narrowly beating CBS, FOX, and NBC. This is the fourth time ABC topped the ‘must keep TV’ poll out of five waves of research since 2007. Among men, CBS took the top spot, while ABC led in most key female demographics and took the overall top spot.

Among other highlights of the 2012 research:

·AMC is the top story of the year. Powered by The Walking Dead and Mad Men, AMC is now in the #30 spot among Adults 18-49, up from #51 last year. In the younger 18-34 demographic, it leaped into the #19 position, up a record 34 spots from last year. AMC is now seen as a more valuable channel in this younger demographic than brands such as A&E or TLC.

·PBS is also one of the big stories of this year, leaping 7 spots to #12 “must keep TV” brand in America overall, based on the huge popularity of the Downton Abbey franchise. Among women 18+, it was ranked #11, ahead of brands like TBS or HBO.

·As online alternatives pick up momentum, TV viewers appear to be slowly abandoning premium movie channels like Starz, Movie Channel and Cinemax. These three brands declined in rankings in all demos. In the 18-49 demo: Starz declined from #34 to #41 while Cinemax dropped from #46 to #53.

·Other interesting success stories included ABC Family which improved its standing in most demos significantly (now #17 overall). Warmer-than-normal temperatures made The Weather Channel must keep TV for more viewers, now ranked #20 among A18+, up six spots last year.

·Moving in the wrong direction this year: Nickelodeon is down five spots to #25 and Fox News is down 7 spots to #30.  HBO remained outside of the top 10 for the second year in a row although it improves its standing from to #11 since 2011 due to strong momentum among men 25-54.

·The research found that the big four networks’ brand equity stabilized despite proliferation of alternatives. The proportion of Americans who would include at least one of the big four networks in their top channels was 77% in 2012, exactly the same proportion as it was last year. The decline in the 2007-2009 period from a peak of 83% appears to have stabilized despite increased competition.

Technical: ‘Must Keep TV’  tracking is an independent syndicated brand tracking survey conducted by Solutions Research Group (SRG) among a representative sample of American consumers. This is the 5th edition of the survey since 2007. The questions have been fielded and presented in the same manner each wave. The 2012 research is based on online interviews with 1,400 American consumers 12+ conducted in early March 2012 – the sample captures and represents all major population segments.

Respondents are shown a list of 73 leading network/cable brands and are asked to identify which ones would be on their ‘must keep TV’ list if they had to choose a limited number. Sample design is balanced by geography, gender and ethnicity, including African-American and English-speaking Hispanics according to known universe parameters. For more information, email rwalton@srgnet.com