Online Video Streaming Figures

I find these figures staggering with regards to [tag-tec]online video streaming[/tag-tec] and music file downloads. Akamai, a company that delivers 20% of the Web’s traffic each day.

At its Web site, visitors can see a snapshot of what’s happening on the Internet each day. Today, for example, 772,721 people were downloading music files every minute worldwide. At one real time moment last week, 671,970 people were enjoying rich media, much of it video, simultaneously. And those numbers don’t include files that Akamai isn’t involved in delivering.

If Akamai is only accounting for 20% of the traffic then imagine the figures for the rest of the Web. Comparing Akamai figures from November 2006 to May 2007 then peak moments of rich media streamers per minute have increased an amazing 71% in six months. These are not just two minute video clips from your website but full length episodes of favorite tv shows shown as full screen video.

Better quality online video is just around the corner. Whilst 70% of all U.S. internet users surf via broadband the connection speeds are way down on what can be had in Japan where the connection speeds are many times faster the in the USA.

As connection speeds increase so does advertising. Online advertising is up 26% compared to a year ago and online video advertising will account for over $1 billion next year. The future is certainly bright for online video.

You can read the full report here