Vonage Study Shows Video Calling is on Rise – Including for eCommerce

Vonage today unveiled the results of “Video Chatterbox Nation,” a study of Americans’ attitudes toward video communication, its evolution from social to commercial applications, and its pervasiveness across various markets.

The survey of 1,100 Americans revealed changing consumer behaviors and expectations around live video.

The study found that live video has reached near-universal adoption for social use among friends and family as it becomes more accessible and easy to use.

With one in three people video chatting at least once a week, video calls are quickly becoming an equal channel to voice calls.

Millennials in The Lead

With a 175 percent increase in their regular live video usage in the last three years, millennials represent the largest group of live video users, and one-fourth of young people video chat on a daily basis.

Almost half of people aged 35-54, and 25 percent of those 55 and older report they are video chatting more than they were one year ago.

Additional Key Findings Include:

• Mobile on top: Mobile has risen above desktop and laptop to become the primary device for video calling, with 68 percent of video calling taking place on mobile devices.
• “All the feels”: Respondents report a key motivation for video calling is that it creates a more personal experience compared to other channels.
• Work and play: Consumers want to video chat not just with friends and family, but with businesses and brands as well. According to the study, nearly one-third of respondents are using live video to chat with a business, brand or service provider – three times more than three years ago – and almost one in five Americans video chat with businesses once a week or more.

Business Use Increasing

As video calling with businesses and brands becomes more mainstream, industries are adopting it at different rates.

While it is still in the early growth phase, video is on track to become a mainstream form of consumer to business communication. Among the 11 industries included in the study, highlights include:

• Healthcare: Almost one in four people are already using live video to chat with a doctor about a non-emergency condition such as renewing a prescription. This is set to double in the coming year.
• Retail: More than one in three consumers are using video chat to speak with a sales advisor about a big ticket or specialized item.
• Banking and Finance: One in three consumers say they will use live video in the future to chat with a banking advisor about a product such as a personal loan or mortgage.
• HR and Recruiting: While almost one in two Gen Xers are interested in using live video to interview with recruiters or potential employers, almost one in two millennials are already doing so.

READ MORE: How to Master Personalisation for eCommerce

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