By Pramit Kumar

India's Online Market Is Bigger Than Ever. As India is growing to world’s second largest smartphone market and therefore driving the popularity of online video platforms such as YouTube, Daily Motion, and Facebook as viewers look for engaging short-form content on-the-go.

Online video has gained huge momentum in India. YouTube alone has 400 million users and Google expects this number to double in the next three years, making India one of its fastest growing markets. As the popularity of online video is only expected to rise, this will transform the TV experience for Indian audiences in 2018 and beyond. Within this, there are some key trends that are important for TV providers to consider as they prepare to capitalize on the popularity of short-form video.

The online viewing also attracted many younger consumers as mobile is their primary internet-enabled device. While viewers are watching a lot of online video on social media, this doesn’t mean that they are turning their backs on linear TV though. As online TV becomes an ever-more important part of entertainment portfolios, many have chosen to move beyond traditional streaming devices like computers, mobiles and tablets to watch online content from their TV sets. The pay-TV market in India is actually growing and is forecast to gain an extra 30 million subscribers by 2022. For TV providers, there’s a big opportunity to bring back younger audiences with the type of content they enjoy and seek out online.

Localized content will play key role in catching more eyes and enticing more audience. The average Indian user watches 8.5 hours of YouTube and Facebook video content each month and this has allowed a vibrant content creator community to flourish. One of the trends we expect to take off in 2018 is greater demand for local content from the creators and influencers Indian audiences have grown to know and love and also the opportunity to discover new talent they haven’t seen yet.

With The QYOU’s partnership with Tata Sky, market demand for localized programming has been met by launching QYOU India. It features programs that reflect the best of India’s unique internet culture and is supported by content partnerships with Culture Machine, Desi Hip Hop Inc, Pocket Aces and The Vibe. With India’s burgeoning entertainment industry and growing internet access, we expect 2018 to bring more of this type of programming.

The line between online video and TV is fading. In 2017, YouTube Red launched and a raft of new media companies looked to take a slice of the TV pie. We also saw Facebook looking at ways to stream high-profile sporting tournaments, such as The Champion’s League and Europa League in countries like India where the matches are not shown on TV. While the UEFA declined the offer from Facebook, there is more to come. Twitter has already secured the rights to the NFL this year and we can expect similar deals in 2018.

For the TV industry convergence works both ways. Around 500 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube every minute, making it hard to find the hidden gems. Younger viewers still want the “lean back” experience of traditional TV, but with programming that appeals to their tastes which have been shaped by online video trends. This means there’s a huge opportunity for TV service providers to curate the very best of internet video and bring it to the TV screen.

« Back