IAB Survey Says Yes, (Some) People Watch Longer Videos On Their Smartphones

There’s a new survey commissioned by the Interactive Advertising Bureau that examines mobile video consumption across the globe.

Not surprisingly, many respondents said that they’re watching more video on mobile devices than they were a year ago, including 50 percent of those surveyed in the United States, and 42 percent in Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

They’re not watching 30-second clips, either. In fact, 36 percent of respondents said they watch videos that are five minutes or longer on a daily basis. (That’s not a majority, but it’s more than just a tiny sliver of the audience.)

The IAB says that viewers in China are particularly open to watching movies and TV episodes on their phones. In addition, 37 percent of respondents in China and 35 percent in Singapore said they’re watching less TV due to watching more mobile video.

longform mobile video

As for how people are finding these videos, 62 percent of respondents said they find content through YouTube, while 33 percent pointed at social media, 20 percent said search and 14 percent said advertising.

“Audiences around the world are overwhelmingly open to mobile video advertisements that relate to their context and viewing patterns,” said Joe Laszlo, Senior Director, IAB Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence, in the survey press release.

The survey was conducted by On Device Research, which talked to 200 smartphone-owning consumers in 24 countries. You can read more in the full Mobile Video Usage study.