Singaporeans watch online videos the most

They spend two hours every day.

Connected consumers across APAC are watching more video content than ever before, according to the findings from Kantar TNS’s Connected Life study into the behaviours of internet users across the globe. The study shows that people are consuming a wide variety of online video – from online TV or subscription services like Netflix, to free video on platforms such as YouTube and via social content that appears in their social feeds.

Rising internet connectivity has driven an increase in content consumption, with internet users watching an average of 1.6 hours of online video content daily. Singaporeans are the most active, consuming 2 hours every day. The results reveal that traditional, live-broadcast TV content is still alive and well, with 77% of connected consumers in Asia Pacific still tuning into traditional TV, watching on average 2 hours every day. This online video consumption is incremental, meaning that people are watching it in addition to their existing TV viewing habits.

Zoë Lawrence, APAC Digital Director at Kantar TNS, says: “The Connected Life study shows that there is a strong appetite for video content online, consumed when and where people want to watch it. Brands should no longer think about targeting traditional TV primetime, but identify ‘primetime’ for their brand.”

Connected Life data showed that free online video, such as YouTube, is watched by a large proportion of connected consumers daily, with Cambodian internet users watching the most at 94%, followed by Hong Kong (84%) and China (78%). Two thirds (62%) of people online are also watching videos that appear on their social feed, either from brands, news sources or their friends. Connected consumers in mobile-first markets are consuming a lot of video in this way, with 93% of internet consumers in Cambodia watching social video daily, 80% in Malaysia and 69% in Vietnam. Digital channels are allowing one in three (32%) connected consumers to access on-demand channels, allowing them to catch up on broadcast TV content online. Some are also using paid-for subscription services such as Netflix, viewed by 11% daily across the region.

The type of content that people are seeking out is also evolving. Popular video content no longer has to be professionally produced, with one in three (33%) connected consumers saying that most of the content that they watch online is produced by ‘people like me’ or celebrities. People are also open to video content from brands, with 27% of connected consumers watching this on a weekly basis.

Many assume it’s only young people who are spending a lot of time watching online content, however older generations are not getting left behind. The results revealed that 55 – 65 year olds in emerging markets in Asia Pacific watch an average of 1.4 hours of content in comparison to 1.7 hours for those aged 16 - 24, highlighting how these channels can be used to reach a broader group.