Video more engaging on Twitter than Facebook or Digg

by Dan Leahul, revolutionmagazine.com 15-Jul-09, 13:50

LONDON - Twitter users watching online video via the microblogging site keep their eyes glued to their computer screen for longer than those using Facebook or Digg, says TubeMogul.

A new study finds Twitter users spend the most time watching videos recommended by their followers, half a minute longer than content their Facebook friends enjoyed, and more than a minute more than Digg shouts.

Users watching video through a Twitter recommendation spent an average one minute 58 seconds with their eyes peeled, longer than Facebook's one minute 14 seconds, and Digg's 58 seconds.

The research could open up new opertunities for brands wishing to target consumers with online video ads, or publishers seeking new audiences for video content.

TubeMogul explained the phenomenon: "Despite Twitter's erstwhile reputation as a soapbox for ephemeral thoughts (i.e. 'long line at Starbucks...argh!'), the data tells another story: as a platform, Twitter refers among the most engaged video viewers out there.

"One possible reason for this might be the fact that the service allows one-way following, which means everyone's feed is hyper-customized, with less noise caused by needless 'friend' reciprocation or, in the case of Digg, a crowded homepage.

"This way, if someone links to a video from Twitter, there is already a built-in selection bias."