Yesterday, YouTube announced that music videos and pre-roll ads are now available in an Android app for YouTube. Marketers should rejoice over the news of this new ad development, as […]

Yesterday, YouTube announced that music videos and pre-roll ads are now available in an Android app for YouTube. Marketers should rejoice over the news of this new ad development, as it will enable them to reach the growing number of YouTube’s mobile viewers.

Andrey Doronichev announced a data gem (though it was somewhat hidden in the music video announcement). He says, "We also have a new milestone to share – YouTube now exceeds 200 million views a day on mobile, a 3x increase in 2010."

This stat speaks to Brafton’s earlier reports about the rising number of mobile internet users. Multiple sources speculate that mobile internet use will soon exceed PC use, and Brafton has covered reports on tablet shipments poised to surpass PC shipments.

More recently, we’ve covered Nielsen data that indicates that the mobile video platform is one to watch, with 22 million consumers watching videos on mobile devices in Q2 2010. This news from YouTube makes clear that marketers must not only create compelling video content to promote their brands, but also deliver it via mobile channels.

While YouTube's new pre-rolled ad offering on its Android app can help brands gain exposure, marketers should also consider creating original video content to catch the interest of on-the-go consumers. Brafton reported that experts at Affiliate Summit West 2011 advised brands to offer unique, search-optimized video content.

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.