Fellow Canadians, we are officially a digital-first nation. eMarketer reported last week that ‘adults in Canada will spend more daily time with digital content than with traditional media’ such as television, radio, and print. The gap is pretty tight (4 hours, 55 minutes per day with digital media; 4 hours 54 minutes per day with traditional) but there’s no turning back from here.

Digital marketing agencies have long anticipated this moment. Spending on digital advertising surpassed spending on traditional advertising last year after accounting for just 30.8 per cent of total spend in 2014. As engagement and return on investment increase, it may be time to dedicate a larger portion of your ad budget to the digital marketing realm.

Digital video, in particular, figures to be a winner for brands, according to eMarketer senior analyst on Canada Paul Briggs.

“More than any other country in our global forecast, digital video time is greatest in Canada in relation to TV time,” he said in the market research firm’s report. “This is due to the immense popularity of Netflix and YouTube among Canadians.”

Advertising isn’t available on Netflix (yet), but YouTube is a great place to invest advertising dollars. YouTube campaigns can be managed within Google Ads, and the content you produce can be repurposed for your website or for social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Mobile is another major driver of digital advertising success. The average Canadian currently spends more than three hours per day consuming media on their smartphone or other mobile devices. For advertisers, the message is clear: if you want to reach Canadians, find them online, find them through video, and find them on their phones.

As a Google Premier Partner digital marketing agency with access to valuable insights on Google’s preferred practices, GrowthEngine Media is equipped to help you make the most of your digital advertising dollars.