When YouTube was created in 2005, it changed how businesses and individuals shared how-to's and opinion pieces with one another. Two years into operations, the company struck a deal with Apple to create its first mobile application—before a majority of companies even saw the potential in local online marketing, TechCrunch explained.
Now in 2013, YouTube's parent company, Google, reported that 40 percent of the website's traffic comes from mobile devices. Even though this website has full-screen capabilities on a computer, more people are choosing smaller screens to get their fix, according to Reuters. To put in perspective the fast growth of mobile use, only 6 percent of YouTube's traffic was mobile in 2011.
"We are closing in on our goal of a beautiful, simple and intuitive experience regardless of your device," Google CEO Larry Page said in the company's quarterly earnings report.
YouTube plans on improving the viewing experience for all smartphone users. It recently revamped the iOS mobile application interface and developed an app for the Windows phone. With a growing international base, the potential of online video advertising is expected to become even more apparent.
"Google's done a good job of being in the right place in mobile as it grows, and being able to monetize that," Needham & Co. analyst Kerry Rice told Reuters.
As digital advertising, especially on a mobile platform, continues to expand, businesses can maximize impressions and traffic toward their company. In YouTube's case, people are almost always required to watch video advertisements before streaming their requested footage.
Demanding this type of attention has the potential to be more effective than traditional forms of marketing. Companies that partner with Key Media Solutions will have the support to create a unique video that sends a strong message to localized audiences.