Mary Meeker of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers (KPCB) has released her annual evaluation of the top trends in internet usage, proving times are changing, and companies could get left behind if they don’t catch up.
Among the most interesting trends is a major boom in user-generated content, and evidence that teens are embracing visual social media like Snapchat and Instagram instead of Facebook and Twitter.
Here are TheWrap’s 9 most interesting takeaways from the report:
Internet Users Are Creating Significantly More Content
Overall, content created by internet users rose 122 percent year to year. The gaming streaming service Twitch saw a jump to 11 million unique broadcasts per month, while Pinterest creation rose by 75 percent. Likewise, approximately 65 million Snapchat users employ the app to create original content every day.
Snapchat, Instagram Up Among Teens; Facebook, Twitter Down
Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn usage among kids age 12-24 all fell in the last year. However, visual social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram saw noticeable gains. Only 14 percent of teens said Facebook is the most important social media app, compared to 33 percent in 2014.
Advertisers Need to Get on Mobile
Of all the ad dollars spent in the US, only 8 percent of that is spent on mobile advertising. This is despite the fact that Americans spend 24 percent of their time on mobile. The report indicates that means there is the potential to make up to $25 billion off of mobile ads that is not being utilized.
Americans Now Spend 5.6 Hours a Day Online
Americans now spend 5.6 hours a day online, compared to 5.3 in 2014. Of those hours, 2.8 is spent on mobile, versus 2.4 hours a day on desktops or laptops. Mobile use now represents 51 percent of all internet usage in America.
Vertical Video Is on the Rise
Over the past five years, the amount of video watched with a vertical orientation as opposed to traditional horizontal has risen from 0.4 hours per day to know 2.8 hours a day. Additionally, vertical ads like those on Snapchat are watched in their entirety 9 times more than horizontal ads.
Messaging Apps Are the Most Popular
Of the top 10 most used apps globally, 6 of them are messaging apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Messaging apps are also the most popular in terms of usage each day, with the average person accessing Facebook on mobile 20 times a day.
India Primed to Become Next Big Mobile Market
Mobile internet usage has exploded in India over the past few years. It currently makes up 65 percent of all internet traffic on the subcontinent. Companies like Google are developing cheaper smartphones for the market, as many of their customers first access to the internet will be on a mobile device.
The Top Companies Are Apple, Google, and Alibaba
2015’s most successful internet companies, like Apple, Google, and Alibaba, all feature a solid core platform. For example, Google and Apple’s mobile app stores and Alibaba’s marketplace are all highly-adaptable for different user interactions.
Tech Company Funding Is Still Down
Compared to 2000 levels, funding for tech companies is still way down from the dot com bust. In 2014, only $105 billion was invested in tech, compared to $157 billion in 2000. Thus far in 2015, only $32 billion has been invested.