54% of online videos watched in India are in Hindi: YouTube

About 54% of online videos that Indians watch are in Hindi, while English is preferred by only 16 % of the viewing population, followed by Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Bengali, Google-owned YouTube said in a report on Tuesday.

Telugu is preferred by seven per cent of viewing population, Kannada six per cent, Tamil five per cent and Bengali is preferred by three per cent, said the study titled "Understanding India's online video viewer".

The research revealed that Indian users watch online videos for an average of 67 minutes everyday.

More than 70 % of viewership comes from 15-34 year olds and 37 % of users come from rural geographies.

The total online video user population is expected to reach 500 million by the end of the year, said the report.

According to YouTube, entertainment emerged to be the favourite genre along with learning content which is consumed in 43 % of the video viewing occasions.

The study also highlighted the ‘Four Ps' of motivation for watching --- Pleasure, emPower, Purpose and People.

Explaining these further, pleasure accounts for 55% and is all about enjoyment and de-stressing; empower is 20 per cent and fulfils the need to be confident and free; purpose accounts for 14 per cent and is about progress and staying updated; people is 11 per cent and reflects the need to connect and bond.

YouTube also revealed that Indian watch online videos anytime, anywhere and online video is watched consistently throughout the day.

Though 79 % of video consumption happens at home, 21% of consumption happens on the move.

The study, based on responses from 6,500 viewers in India, was conducted before the onset of the global pandemic.