Watch time jumped 45pc in July 2020 vs last year: YouTube

YouTube on Friday said watch time on the platform in India jumped 45 percent in July this year as compared to the same period last year, with regional language content being one of the strongest drivers of this growth.

Online video consumption has seen massive growth in the past few years on the back of availability of affordable smartphones and cheap data tariffs. The pandemic-induced lockdown had further accelerated the consumption of over-the-top (OTT) services like online video and music streaming in the country.

"YouTube watch time jumped 45 percent in July this year since the same time in 2019, with regional language content being one of the strongest drivers of this growth. According to the September 2019 Google/Kantar Video Landscape Research, 93 percent of YouTube viewers prefer watching content in regional languages," a statement said.

It, however, did not quantify the time spent on the platform.

YouTube has unveiled its first-ever regional language Ads Leaderboard, which comprises the top 10 most-watched ads spanning the second half of 2020.

It encompasses advertising in six regional Indian languages and is indicative of the increasing recognition by marketers that consumers are more likely to consider a purchase when they are reached in their preferred language, YouTube said.

The top ad in the tally was ''The Taste of India by Amul'' (Tamil), followed by ''#MassEntri with Entri App! (Malayalam) and ''Goodknight Gold Flash'' by Goodknight (Bengali).

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"Today, one out three Indians consumes online video. YouTube''s appeal is in its ability to host diversity of content, which includes languages, and build strong, authentic connections based on this. What''s heartening to see is that brands are being agile, and creating marketing assets especially to reach users in different languages," Google Senior Director of Marketing for SEA and India Sapna Chadha said.

This first regional leaderboard is a sign for the times, and consumers can expect more memorable language advertising in 2021 on YouTube, she added.