Online Video Viewing Accelerates

Online video viewing accelerated in 2009, with 19% more people in the US viewing more videos for longer periods of time, according to comScore Video Metrix data from the comScore 2009 US Digital Year in Review.

In December 2009, 86% of the total US online population, or 178 million people, viewed video content, compared to 150 million people in December 2008. Americans also viewed a significantly higher number of videos in 2009 compared to the prior year, due to both increased content consumption and a growing number of video ads being delivered.

Facebook Users Spend 7 Hours Monthly On The Site

In a monthly view of U.S. Internet activity for top parent companies and web brands, The Nielsen Company found that the average time users spend using Facebook per month grew nearly 10%, topping seven hours. Additionally, the number of those actively using the web grew 3.8%, to slightly more than 203 million users.

HP Becomes Quick-Change Paid Search Artist For President’s Day

Hewlett-Packard typically runs President’s Day paid search and display ad campaigns, but this year Catherine Paschkewitz, director of marketing for HP Direct, tried something a bit different: She bought broader keyword terms, with the ability to change the message frequently.

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Evidently, large companies like HP tend to shy away from purchasing broad-keyword terms. Instead they focus on tightly targeted words, such as product names and codes. Specific product terms tend to convert quicker. Marketers believe someone typing in “HP laptop” into a search box is more likely ready to make the purchase.