A new study shows that four out of five Australians now favour free, ad-sponsored mobile video content.

Moving pics on the go

The study from IAB spanned 24 countries and revealed that 30% of Australians watch long-form content on their mobile devices on a daily basis.

This rise in smartphone viewing has led to a drop of TV ratings. One fifth of respondents have watched a TV show on their smartphone in the past three months, while 21% have viewed a movie. 

Over a third of those surveyed watch more video on their smartphone than one year ago, with 14% admitting they watch less TV thanks to smartphone video options.

Viewing party

The most popular video content consumed by Australians on their smartphones are short form comedy skits. These are followed by music videos, sports and news. 

Most users say they discover videos directly from content providers and social media platforms.

Ad spend

The study also has good news for advertisers. 15% of respondents say they are directed to video content from advertising, while 77% prefer free, ad-sponsored content playing options.

Over half say they have watched pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll ads, and consider them a natural and common form of advertising.

Finally, most video content is viewed between 5pm – 11pm, while commuting hours were also good times to catch up on viewing.