Make the cut: New insights into viewer behaviour that’ll help brands in India meet audiences where they are
Gone are the days when watching videos meant being beholden to whatever was airing on TV. Today’s audiences have the power to decide what they watch, when, and on which screen, picking from an endless buffet of content that spans every format, purpose, and genre.
These choices look different for everyone. As audiences navigate a dynamic video universe that’s rapidly evolving, they curate their own personal video universes based on their unique lifestyle, needs, and interests.
So if a platform fails to meet their needs, they’ll simply disconnect from it. In fact, a recent Kantar study found that 33% of urban viewers in India identify as “cord-cutters” — audiences who no longer watch linear TV on their connected TVs, because it lacked content variety, personalisation, and flexibility.
For your brand to stay connected with audiences, you’ll need to understand how people make their video viewing decisions, in order to show up on platforms that make the cut. Learn what these modern rules of video engagement are, and how you can be where it matters to your audience to make connections that count.
See how the winners of YouTube Works Awards 2023 engaged viewers and drove results with a multiformat video marketing strategy.
Today, brands have more choices than ever before to connect with their audience, and yet it has never been harder to do it in a way that matters.
For the longest time, the term ‘video’ meant.. well…TV.
Free to air TV brought video to our living rooms, and Cable TV created more choice for those willing to pay. With the internet came an explosion of digital video platforms - unlocking many new dimensions of watching.
Suddenly, free-to-air and cable were just small parts of a rapidly evolving, dynamic video universe.
The universe quickly became populated with countless galaxies of content, spanning every format, purpose, genre and screen.
Episodic shows, which would stay confined to traditional TV, are now surrounded by fan theories, reaction videos, and explainers. Music videos are no longer just about music; and we now have a whole new way of getting deeper into sports.
This video universe contains everything anyone can ever watch. With so much choice at their fingertips, people quickly began to create new rules of engagement and curate their own personal video universes.
They do this in three ways:
The first is what their need is at any particular point, be it Discovery or Immersion. Do they want to watch a quick video about something interesting like a new music artist or dive deep into a topic they care about?
For example, Joonyong from Korea. Joonyong has recently picked up a couple of new hobbies like taking care of plants and watches videos to immerse himself in the world of how to’s and tips.
The second is who they’re with. They could be looking for videos for ‘me time’ or ‘we time’.
Carly from Australia watches DIY content on her own and kids’ unboxing videos with her children - and for Carly, sharing these moments is one of her favourite parts of the day.
The third is how mainstream or niche they want to go. For some, their universe might be focused on popular topics like tips for parenting, gaming or music. For others, it may be something quite… different.
Mr Manish, a spice trader, uses video as an essential part of his business.
Every morning, he sits down with his tea to follow the real-time price fluctuations of wholesale cardamom by watching live auctions on YouTube.
People love the choices their universes offer, and the platforms that give them the power to choose.
If they don’t find the variety, flexibility and community they desire, they’ll simply cut the cord from the platform and move on.
This behaviour has a real implication for brands. This means brands need to be on platforms that do make the cut and simply cannot afford to be in places that don’t matter to their audiences.
And as the what, where and when of video continues to become more dynamic for people - showing up in the right place at the right time will become an even more complex task for brands.
So, in a world where your brand can be anywhere, be where it matters.
