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ShareDespite channels like Zoom and Channel (V) having put up popular television content on the web, admen do not seem interested
MUMBAI: If you are one of those internet savvy movie buffs, chances are that you catch the first glimpse of most of the upcoming movies through trailers on the YouTube.
On most occasions, you'd forward those video links to your acquaintances. About 35% of India's internet active population of 35 million users does the same, according to research agency JuxtConsult.
Video deluge
It's not just movie promos -- according to a survey conducted by online video website Nautanki.tv -- the time-starved working populace makes the most of a broadband connection by watching and sharing web videos of various genres such as documentaries, TV shows and sitcoms.
According to Rajneesh, India head of Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, the stand-up comedy TV show The Great Indian Laughter Challenge was viewed more on YouTube than on television. "Video is now the wild, wild west of the internet today," he said.
The deluge of rich media content is finding audiences via an alternate route. Hence, online video-sharing platforms such as YouTube, Indyarocks, Rajshri, Rediff iShare, Eros, myPopkorn and Joost are becoming goldmines of online video. And there's enough proof, too. According to the ranking agency Alexa, YouTube is the sixth most popular site in India.
Sunil Nair, CEO, Nautanki.tv, said, "The socio-economic class (SEC) A English-speaking user spends more time on his laptop than the TV. Due to broadband connectivity from state-owned BSNL, users are even logging in from non-metros such as Amravati, Kolhapur, Satara and even a Dubai in Uttar Pradesh."
Reality check
But as much as they would have liked it, these websites owners and content developers aren't really raking in moolah, at least not yet. Publishers say the market is not yet ready for a subscription-based revenue model and brands stand an opportunity to milk this growing viewer base.
Online video ad tools
To make things easier for prospective advertisers, self-service online video ad platforms such as Jivox are setting up shop.
Naren Nachiappan, managing director, Jivox, said his website can help create billboard and true video ads using editor tools, and then the ad can be immediately published on Jivox publisher network. "Advertisers can then monitor the impressions, click-throughs and promotion performance of their ads in real time," he said.
So what?
Despite the technological advancements, content owners, and even media planning agencies, are not buying the concept yet.
While Zoom TV, Channel [V], Eros and Rajshri Media have made content available legally on video-sharing sites, it seems most other copyright holders are losing out a monetisation opportunity.
Experts said when it comes to the internet, advertisers tend to over-measure their returns on investment.
Farokh Balsara, head, media and entertainment, Ernst & Young India, said advertisers' stress on performance has undermined the interactivity of the medium. "Their focus is so much on the 'cost of clicks' that creativity can't be explored. Internet -- be it search, banner/display or even video -- is not getting its fair share, because advertisers want to see a transaction happening online."
Nautanki.tv's Nair points out that there is also a "tremendous lethargy from media agencies in understanding what online video is all about."
"Media buying agencies and even ad agencies ask about performance metrics. They want to know how many people clicked on their ads when I'm offering a TVC-like brand experience as part of the online video," he said.
Global criticism
This lack of timely standards in the online advertising space came under much fire from George Gallate, global chairman, Euro RSCG 4D who spoke at the recently-concluded IAMAI Digital Marketing Summit.
Addressing an audience full of web publishers, ad networks, media agencies, advertisers and digital marketing agencies, Gallate remarked, "I'm surprised at the lack of progress in your industry. When I came here in 1996, I wrote a white paper on the growth predictions in the digital marketing industry. But frankly, I'm disappointed with the performance. Your independent digital agencies are just challenged with valuations."
