Tag Archives: statistics

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Video Captures Eyeballs

comScore has released the latest online video statistics as of April 2010. YouTube continues to be the largest provider of video, garnering 40% of all online video views. That’s what happens when 26 hours of videos are uploaded to a site every minute. Other services continue to try to chip away at YouTube’s lead. A new site, Vevo.com, did make a splash. Started in December 2009, the music video site received about 25% of all Web video views.

Other notable statistics include:

  • 178 million U.S. Internet users watched video during the month, representing 83.5% of all U.S. Internet users.
  • The average YouTube viewer watched 96 videos.
  • The average Hulu viewer watched 24.7 videos… at an average of 2.5 hours per viewer.
  • The average duration of videos watched was 4.4 minutes. That’s still a pretty short amount of time, but it’s almost double the time from previous years.
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Get Ready for a Traffic Jam

Wireless carriers need to get ready for the next data explosion. A report by Strategy Analytics says mobile phones will generate almost 2.2 exabytes of data traffic by 2013—and that is excluding wireless PC cards and other cellular-enabled devices. Such volume of data is equivalent to watching more than 120,000 years of DVD-quality video, the firm says. Eighty-four percent of the traffic will come from Web browsing.

In a session at the Consumer Electronics Show, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski vowed to explore every option available to help open more spectrum for wireless companies. Genachowski acknowledged during the session that there was a significant gap between future demand for mobile data services and the spectrum that would be available to meet that demand. However, he also said that the FCC wouldn’t only look into freeing up additional spectrum for use but at improving efficiencies in how spectrum is used—both at the device and software level.

Strategy Analytics analysts say consumer appetite for browsing, accessing applications, and consuming downloaded or streamed audio or video content has the potential to cripple mobile networks. Management of data traffic load is the biggest current priority for mobile operators, with compression of Web and video content to handsets an important element in any strategy.

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More than Half of Computer Users Now Run Firefox

InfoWorld recently reported that statistics from the exo.performance.network (a source of data on Microsoft Windows marketshare trends) indicate that over half of computer users (50.6%) are now using the Firefox browser. Despite this, Internet Explorer is still widely used, with 84% of users turning to it “regularly.”

These numbers indicate that a large number of people use more than one browser. This is hardly surprising, given the addition of newer browsers like Google Chrome and Safari for Windows, and the recent upgrade of Opera.

This means that Web designers and developers will continue to need to support multiple browsers. While modern browsers are generally more compatible than they have been in the past, developers will need to plan testing of their applications accordingly. View your own site with multiple browsers to make sure your visitors can experience your site without problems.

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Industry Use of Technology—The Latest Numbers

The latest Future One Agency Universe Study was recently released by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers. This study is considered one of the most comprehensive sources of information about the independent agency distribution system. Since 2000 the study has been completed biannually.

The most recent study was conducted in the spring and summer of 2008 and included 1,874 respondents. Ninety percent of those responding were agency principals, presidents, or CEOs.

While the survey produced a number of very interesting findings, below are results that show how agencies are utilizing (or not utilizing) technology.

One of the top 10 findings is that agents are doing more with less. “Agency operations are becoming measurably more efficient. Apparently, agencies are able to do more work with fewer employees. Increased usage of technology likely contributes to more efficient processes.”

While I’m encouraged by this finding, the details of the study show that there continues to be room for improvement in a number of areas. Many agencies are not utilizing technology as an effective tool.

  • 82% use an agency management system (compared to 87% in 2006, although this study included a greater proportion of small agents). 50% of small agents do not use an agency management system.
  • Traditional advertising continues to be most used by agencies, with 24% using Yellow Pages, 15% using print ads, 11% using radio, TV, and billboard. Only 7% use their agency Web site as a marketing tool, and only 2% use any kind of electronic marketing.
  • 37% agreed or strongly agreed that it is important for the agency to be accessible to their clients 24/7.
  • 35% of agencies reported having a paperless office. 54% stated they were going paperless whenever possible.
  • Agency customers increasingly use electronic means to communicate. E-mail usage has increased from 55% in 2006 to 70% in 2008. 21% of agencies report that clients are obtaining certificates of insurance through the Internet.

Thoughts about these statistics

  • The industry needs to realize that new generations of prospects will not be looking in the Yellow Pages for insurance information. Agencies need to begin experimenting with and utilizing the Internet and other electronic marketing options to find and attract these new customers.
  • I am probably most disheartened by the 63% of agencies that said it is not important to be available to clients outside of normal business hours. Clients obviously want to communicate with agencies electronically. It is a small step—and the technology is readily available—to allow clients to communicate with you off-hours.

Agencies are making changes and learning how to effectively use technology. This will increase efficiency and improve customer service. But the new reality is that change is constant. Every agency, regardless of size, needs to continue to adapt to changing customer wants and needs.

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Economic Downturn May Push Number of Uninsured Motorists to All-Time High

The number of uninsured motorists may reach an all-time high, according to a report released by Insurance Research Council in January. Their study indicates that approximately one in six drivers across the United States may be driving uninsured by 2010.

Although the estimated percentage of uninsured motorists decreased nationally, from 14.9% in 2003 to 13.8% in 2007, the recent economic downturn is expected to trigger a sharp rise in the uninsured motorist rate. The IRC estimates the uninsured driver population using a ratio of insurance claims made by individuals who were injured by uninsured drivers to claims made by individuals who were injured by insured drivers. This reinforces the need to communicate early with your existing clients about the options available other than letting their policies lapse.