Is Instagram Video Overtaking YouTube?

Herzlia, Israel, July 31, 2013 – Based on an analysis of mobile data traffic from its installed customer base, Flash Networks, the leading provider of mobile Internet optimization and monetization solutions, found that Instagram video viewing exceeded YouTube on the fourth of July, America’s independence day, reaching close to 28% percent of total video hits. The findings were based on mobile Internet traffic data retrieved from over 30 million smartphone users in North America during the first week of July. Surprisingly, in comparison with Instagram’s sharp spike, YouTube video hits slightly decreased that day and Vine’s video hits stayed relatively flat.

These findings, based on Flash Networks’ Harmony Analytics data, demonstrate the success of Instagram’s video launch last month and the growing popularity of subscribers using video to capture memorable holiday moments. Google’s YouTube is still clearly the most popular video service, and continues to maintain its superiority in the total volume of mobile video traffic. However, Facebook’s Instagram has demonstrated that it can generate usage rivaling YouTube by being the application of choice for capturing and sharing holiday celebrations.

“It appears that subscribers are moving over to video as the preferred format for capturing holiday memories with family and friends,” said Merav Bahat, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Flash Networks. “With all the growing bandwidth requirements, mobile operators are continuing to invest in network upgrades and optimization to meet subscribers’ insatiable desire for rich mobile content.”

Flash Networks collected this data using Harmony Analytics which provides the ability to drill down and analyze traffic based on data plan, (e.g. prepaid, postpaid), devices, bearer, (e.g. 3G, 4G), application, domain, or any combination of these factors. This analysis is helpful for identifying browsing behavior for advertisers to monetize the mobile Internet.

About Flash Networks
Flash Networks, the leading provider of mobile Internet optimization and monetization solutions, enables operators to boost network speed, optimize video and web traffic, and generate over-the-top revenues from the mobile Internet. Sitting at the core of the network, Flash Networks’ Harmony Mobile Internet Services Gateway accelerates LTE networks by 50% and reduces web and video traffic data by 30%, while providing operators with in-depth traffic analytics and user insights. In addition, with Harmony, operators can engage with their subscribers by offering an enhanced browsing experience while generating revenues from search, over-the-top content, and targeted advertising.

With offices in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, Flash Networks services over 600 million subscribers daily and is proud to count among its customers top-tier mobile carriers including Orange, Verizon Wireless, SingTel Group, MTS, T-Mobile, South Korea Telecom, and Telekom Austria Group. For more information, visit www.flashnetworks.com.

Contact Information:
Naomi Rabbie
Flash Networks
Phone: +972-9-961-0841
Mobile: +972 54-7744539
naomir@flashnetworks.com
www.flashnetworks.com

Monica Maron
Spicetree Communications
Mobile: +972-54-5429529
monica.maron@spicetreecom.com
www.spicetreecom.com