MTV is making hay in the US, but there's a feeling that mobile video still has a long way to go.
This year, for the first time, consumers will buy more video-enabled smartphones than TVs.But insiders say the mobile video sector has needs to conquer the twin peaks of marketing and usability before its potential can be truely realised.
Matthew Feldman, CEO at Versaly, which runs the video aggregator Vmbc.tv, told ME: “Although I see the number of mobile video services and destinations increasing, our average number of views per service has been flat.
"As with any content, its all about marketing and promotion. Many video services have too much content and less than optimal navigation. Thus, only the featured or top video programming get all the views."
Most insiders would agree with Feldman. In the UK, Saffron Digital, which runs video on demand services for T-Mobile and Vodafone and is powering the Motorola/Paramount store, is witnessing steady growth – into the tens of thousands on the most popular clips. But it too recognises the need for promotion.
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CEO Shashi Fernando says: “I look at the made-for-mobile content available and I think some of it is genuinely fantastic. But it’s never been properly marketed to consumers. I still believe that the biggest demographic among mobile video watchers is people in the industry. They’re the ones watching. Still, by spreading the word this group can reach millions.”
Still, not everyone is of the opinion that video is just for the future. At MTV, the current numbers are truly impressive, with the broadcaster reporting nine million streams in the US in August, up from five million in January.
Greg Clayman, EVP of digital distribution and business development at MTV Networks, has no doubt that the simplicity of the operator offer is what lies behind this success.
He says: “We don’t really have pay-per-download over here. You sign up for a simple subscription for VOD clips (as well as other mobile services) and pay one price for all you can view. That’s what VCast on Verizon and CV on AT&T are. And it’s working wonders for adoption.”
