India's watch time jumped 45% in July 2020 versus same time last year, says YouTube

On Friday, YouTube said that in July 2020, watching time on the platform in India jumped 45% compared to the same period last year with regional language content being among the biggest determinants of this development.

In the past few years, online video consumption has seen a huge increase due to the availability of accessible smartphones and affordable internet tariffs. The lockdown prompted by the pandemic further increased the consumption of over-the-top (OTT) services such as online video and music streaming.

According to a statement, compared to July 2019, YouTube watch time has increased 45% in July 2020 with regional language content being one of the strongest drivers of this development. 93% of YouTube viewers choose to watch content in regional languages, according to the September 2019 Google/Kantar Video Landscape Study.

YouTube has announced the first-ever Advertising Leaderboard in the regional language, containing the top 10 most-watched ads in the second half of 2020.

It covers ads in six regional Indian languages and is aware of the growing awareness by advertisers that when they are targeted in their chosen language, customers are more likely to accept a purchase, YouTube said.

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

Google Senior Director of Marketing for SEA and India, Ms. Sapna Chadha said, “Today, one out of three Indians utilises video online. The appeal of YouTube comes from its ability to host and create solid, credible links based on a variety of content, including languages. It is refreshing to see is that brands are agile and build marketing assets to target consumers in multiple languages in particular.”

She further added that this first regional leaderboard is a sign of the times, and on YouTube, customers should expect more unforgettable language ads in 2021.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.