• by Aliza Freud , Columnist, May 29, 2015

Video has exploded in popularity over the last couple of years and is now going head to head with TV. According to the IAB, 25% of all Americans watch digital video. This year’s NewFronts, in recognition of the importance of video for consumers and brands, covered the explosive growth of the industry with over 30 presentations.

YouTube alone has over 1 billion users and a whopping 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Add to that the launch of Facebook’s own video platform just over a year ago as well as Vimeo, Vine and Instagram, and video views swell. Mainstream talent is migrating to video due to this authentic engagement of fans and because it’s a place to take risks. For many Millennials, YouTube stars are more popular than traditional talent.

Fueled by Millennials, this explosive growth in video viewing, prompted us to get a better understanding of exactly what they are watching.

In our recently completed and released study about “What Women Watch,” we looked at the results specific to Millennial respondents. Here are a few highlights that can help brand marketers understand how best to create content for this medium:

1. Make Sure Its Funny or Cute! What Types of Videos Do Millennial Women Enjoy Watching?

• Funny/Cute Videos 80%

• Beauty Tutorials 67%

• DIY- Do It Yourself 61%

• Product Reviews 60%

Interestingly, Millennial women enjoy watching Product Review videos relatively more than older female generations that rated this type of video at 42%. Also of note is that Funny/Cute videos are by far the number one video type that Millennial women want to share with others.

2. Facebook is alive and well with Millennial women 

Facebook was the number one platform for sharing videos for Millennial women. Surprisingly, number two was actually showing someone else their screen – mobile, laptop or tablet, when sharing a video with others.

3. YouTube is “Killing it” with Millennial Women

Sixty-three percent of Millennial women say that they subscribe to YouTube channels vs. an average of 36% across other generations of women.

4. Instagram & Twitter Alive and Well with Millennial Women

Aside from YouTube and Facebook, where do Millennial women discover videos? Instagram and Twitter. In fact, they are 100% and 40% respectively more likely to discover videos on these platforms vs. women of other generations.

5. They are Watching Multiple Videos Per Day 

A full 70% of Millennial women report watching multiple videos per day vs. an average of 33% for other female generations.

6. Millennial Women Like to Share 

This is a sharing generation. And, 88% of Millennial women report sharing videos with other friends, family or social media followers vs. an average of 27% across other female generations.

Video is clearly important for Millennial Women, so why should it be important to marketers?

• It can deliver authentic and inspiring content for a generation that is immune to advertising

• It provides storytelling that goes beyond the traditional narrative

• It goes hand-in-hand with the mainstreaming of consumption across screens.