What Are People Doing With Second Screens?

As the usage of second screens has greatly altered the way viewers watch television, the real question is what exactly are people doing with these second screens, and how can advertisers monetize it without becoming distracting?

Rob Gelick, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CBS Interactive Digital Platforms, acknowledged that “engagement on the second-screen is now an established behavior for fans” in a recent interview with social TV website LostRemote.

According to a January 2014 survey conducted by the Consumer Electronics Association and National Association of Television Program Executives, 79% of respondents acknowledged that they utilize a second device.

In February 2014, Nielsen released similar findings, in that 84% of viewers utilize tablets and smartphones while sitting in front of the tube.

Telecom market analyst Infonetics Research discovered that 47% of pay-TV providers prefer tablets for multiscreen participation, and it is believed that will increase to around 89% by next year.

So, with all of these audience members regularly using tablets and smartphones, what specifically is capturing their attention on them?

Facebook and Twitter are two bulwarks that interest viewers. Social analytics agency SecondSync found that 60% of Facebook primetime programming interactions occur as a broadcast airs, but from an “intensity standpoint,” Twitter can claim the gold medal. The company learned in their own survey that viewers using Twitter had a 53% TV ad recall, as opposed to 40% who did not use second screens.

Nielsen’s January report revealed that large percentages of second-screen users fall into three main categories: web surfers, online shoppers and show information-seekers.

MEF, an international mobile content community, stated in their February 2014 Global Consumer Insights report which surveyed 10,000 respondents, that 69% of second-screen users made a purchase in 2013.

In TiVo’s 2013 Social Media and Multitasking Survey, 27%, the biggest share of viewers, reported using their devices to “search the Internet for information.”

For advertisers to successfully craft an experience around these behaviors, “a campaign needs to leverage social data, factor in location, and think about context and the emotional state of the consumer,” disclosed Michael Hayes, chief revenue officer and chief marketing officer at mobile advertising firm UberMedia.

Market research business Parks Associates found that 60% of second-screeners use their devices to watch anywhere from 1-5 hours of video per week, and estimate that in-app advertising revenues will be around $5.6 billion by 2017.

PricewaterhouseCoopers further discovered that 69% of users are willing to interact with a relevant mobile ad.

Based on all of this information, perhaps the ultimate app would allow a second screen user to research program cast info, purchase related merchandise and view informative videos, with either ads integrated into the videos themselves or serviced via some sort of overlay. This would seemingly satisfy both consumers and advertisers.

FYI Television has the metadata available to power such an innovation, as well as allow targeted advertising to be provided to television viewers. Find out more by clicking below.

Author: Brian Cameron

Image Credit: Goodluz (Shutterstock)

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