The latest comScore U.S. Online Video Rankings reveal that search giant Google is still the leading platform for online video viewership.

The latest comScore U.S. Online Video Rankings reveal that search giant Google is still the leading platform for online video viewership, but it has lost some market share. Meanwhile, Microsoft sites have jumped from sixth to second place in one month. Video marketers (and search marketers) should take note of Microsoft's ascent.

According to the report, Microsoft boasted more than 48 million unique video views in February, compared to approximately 38 million in January. It also jumped from around 149 million viewing sessions to more than 297 million sessions over the one-month period.

Marketers should consider this a sign that consumers are growing increasingly comfortable with Microsoft. Site content – including videos – should be optimized for Bing accordingly.

While Microsoft is on the rise, Google sites are still the clear winners in online video viewership. Google sites (primarily YouTube) had more than 141 million unique viewers who participated in more than 1.8 billion viewing sessions.

Brands looking to capitalize on YouTube video campaigns should remember to optimize their headlines and description tags for Google's Topics on Search feature. They may also take a page out of Lady Gaga's book and use YouTube to directly engage consumers. As Brafton reported, Gaga's latest video marketing campaign is a good lesson in audience engagement.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.