The Average American spends four and a half hours per month watching videos online and that number is growing fast!

Some of the most interesting dynamics in modern media consumption have been the fragmentation of media. Think about this –In 1973 "All in the Family" reached 35% of the US households each time it aired. Today, the most popular weekly show the past several years has been American Idol. In its prime, it reached 9% of households. A short time after "All in the Family", a huge shift in viewing patterns emerged. Cable was introduced and fragmented the network TV audiences and gave viewers more to chose from – a very good thing. Back in 1973, there were 3 major TV networks. Today there are over 350 cable networks, 9 Broadcast networks and millions upon millions of websites.

With this fantastic variety, another fragmentation is happening and emerging quickly –Video Place Shifting. According to Nielsen, the average American is spending 22 hours a month online and 4 hours and 29 minutes watching videos online. I'd bet in the next 3 years those number will double or triple as broadband penetration approaches 85% of all households. Add in the growth of mobile (smartphone and tablets) and online/mobile video will severally impact traditional TV programming patterns. And this shift isn't just happening on a PC. In fact, its more prevalent on tablets and smartphones. This "place shifting" is dynamic in the video/content space that media planners need to start thinking about today in order for their brands to succeed in our connected world. When you have 23% of media consumed happening on mobile devices, marketers need to figure out a way to stay in front of their audience in order to retain and grow product market share. As more applications and products like Apple TV, Boxeo and Slingbox allow viewers to watch programming whenever and more importantly on whatever device they choose.

So how do brands succeed in this ever changing world of video advertising?

1. To start, brands must foresee Mobile as becoming a primary digital touch point in all marketing efforts!
2. Treat video advertising like a standalone media channel. Just like cable is planned differently than network TV buys, video advertising should be planned differently than online media.
3. Use behavioral and predictive targeting to pinpoint what content your customers are watching. No need to waste impressions on an audience that isn't in market for your product.
4. Understand Real Time Bidding (RTB) and programmatic buying in the video space. Its not about the content, but about the end user who is your consumer. Set bid rules to ensure you get your brand in front of that user at the right time – no matter what screen.
5. Optimize your buys based on actionable metrics and integrate learning's to traditional content buys.

About enCOMPASS

Its Going far beyond the click signature reflects the enCOMPASS Advertising Agency's commitment to creating distinctive online marketing for varied industries. At the core of every project is the agency's unique Interactive Marketing Intelligence™ approach. Clients trust enCOMPASS to deliver the sound research, market analysis and campaign execution that helps them both profit and prosper.

For more information about enCOMPASS Agency and its Interactive Marketing Intelligence™ (IMI) platform, call (704) 896-9978 or visit www.encompassagency.com