Thanks to high rates of smartphone ownership, the video streaming platform has proven quite popular in Vietnam.
Based on the average time per day spent watching YouTube in Vietnam, the country is amongst the five most dedicated markets of YouTube in the world, according to a statement by Ajay Vidyasagar, the company's Asia Pacific regional director, released late last month. The other countries that made the un-ranked list are India, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand. Vidyasagar explains: "Mobile consumption, actually, really started showing up as a game-changer from this region," which has led to double- and even triple-digit annual growth in average viewing hours.
According to VnExpress, an estimated 50 million Vietnamese use social media platforms, spending an average of 2.5 hours a day on them. YouTube is the second-most frequented app after Facebook, which also enjoys an especially dedicated user base in Vietnam.
Despite issues such as broken cables, hacking concerns and looming changes from a recently passed cybersecurity law, observers are optimistic that internet adoption will continue to rise across the country. In addition to the wider market penetration of smartphones, a nationwide 5G network is expected to be launched by 2020.
Beyond providing a source of entertainment, education and pure bafflement, YouTube has proven lucrative for local entrepreneurs who can earn up to VND40 million a month uploading videos to the site.
[Photo/CC BY]
