Consumers Shout “I Want My Online Video”
Video content -- once reserved to restricted distribution and corporate scheduling -- is now readily available on demand at your favorite Internet web site. The torrent of available video content online has been met with near insatiable consumer demand and intense advertiser interest. Burst recently surveyed more than 2,600 online respondents to get a better idea of how they consume online video, and their perception of advertising placements within it.
Our conclusion: Online video content is in high demand – particularly for staying informed and being entertained.
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From College Students To Senior Surfers, Online Video Content Is In Demand
Overall, seven out of ten (72.1%) respondents view online video content. Men are more likely than women to view online video, 76.6% versus 67.7% respectively. Viewing online video is not just the domain of the young. A majority of all age segments watch online videos – including over half (58.6%) of respondents 65 years and older.
Young, Adult And Male? You Are The Primary Video AudienceNearly three out of five (58.8%) respondents view online video content at least once a week. Men are significantly more likely than women to view online video content at least once a week– 67.6% versus 49.4%, respectively.
Males 18-34 years are the most frequent consumer of online video content - with nearly three-quarters (74.0%) viewing online video content at least once a week. The true champions of online video viewership are men 18-24 years old. One-third (33.7%) of this segment watches some type of online video content daily. (Chart 1)
Online Video is a New Medium of its Own
Overall, respondents cite news clips (44.4%) as the most popular online video content to view. This is followed by music (37.5%), comedy (35.5%), movie trailers/advertising (33.7%), TV shows/clips (33.1%), entertainment news/reviews (29.9 %), sports/sports news (21.8%), instructional/how-to videos (19.2%), home/user generated video (15.4%), political videos (15.3%), and cooking video (9.0%).
Significant differences exist between age segments and the types of online video content consumed. Music videos literally rock with respondents 18-24 years, as over half (53.1%) say they seek it out online. Music is followed closely comedy video (46.9%), TV show video/clips (44.4%), and movie trailers/advertising (43.0%). Entertainment is also the most popular video content viewed by respondents 25-34 years. Beyond the age of 35 years, respondents clearly make news their leading choice of video content.
Consumers Are Turned Off by In-Stream Ads Like Pre-Roll
Good News: Consumers Remember Seeing In-Stream Ads In Online Video
More than half (53.6%) of online video viewers recall seeing in-stream (pre, mid, post-roll) advertisements in content they’ve watched. Interestingly, the segments with the lowest level of recall are the youngest (18-24 years) and the oldest (65 years and older) respondents.Advertising placement in online video is not met with overwhelming consumer approval. In fact, three quarters (78.4%) of respondents say in-stream advertisements in online video are intrusive – and one-half (50.4%) say advertisements in video content disrupts their web surfing experience. Women are more likely than men to say advertisements in video content disrupt their web surfing experience, 53.1% versus 48.1%.
Bad News: Most Stop Watching Video Content If An Ad Shows, Or Worse
Among respondents, one-half (50.7%) stop watching an online video once they encounter an in-stream advertisement. Two out of five (43.2%) respondents stay to watch the ad and remaining video content. Respondents 18-24 years are the most tolerant of advertisements included in online video. Among this segment over one-half (57.6%) will watch an advertisement in an online video and continue to watch the content. (Chart 2)
Ominously, 15.3% of respondents immediately leave the website once they encounter an in-stream advertisement. Additionally, half (49.7%) of respondents say the presence of in-stream advertising in online video content makes them less likely to view other video content they may encounter online.
Mixed News: Disruptive Video Ads Don’t Always Make A Lasting Impression
One-third (33.0%) of respondents say they pay less attention to in-stream video advertisements than they do to standard creative units on the same page; and a third (36.1%) say they pay neither more nor less attention. Only one-in-five (21.4%) of respondents who recall advertisements in online video content say they pay more attention to the in-steam advertisement than they do to standard creative units on the same web page. (Chart 3)
Not surprisingly, the 18-24 years segment is more receptive to in-stream video advertisements than all other age segments – with 38.5% saying they pay more attention to in-stream video advertisements than they do to standard creative units.
How You Can Use This Information
Understand The Mindset Of Video Consumers: Video content is a vast treasure-trove of information and entertainment for web surfers. It is also a potential advertising treasure trove for marketers. However, marketers must tread carefully as they weed their way through the video content advertising forest. Online video consumers are not yet willing to exchange their uninterrupted viewing experience for advertising messages. For online video advertising to be truly effective, advertisers need to use approaches that fit this consumer mindset. Using shorter spots distinct from offline creative is one way of capturing consumers’ attention; and garnering greater consumer acceptance of advertising placements within online video content.
Burst Sites for the Entertainment Fan
Burst is always adding quality, content-rich sites to its networks. All sites are subject to a rigorous screening process before being accepted into our networks. Burst also periodically reviews sites to ensure they continue to meet our standards. Our continuous auditing process guarantees your advertising message is placed in a high quality content environment, and receives the maximum exposure it deserves. Below are some of the many interesting Burst sites that reach entertainment fans.
Burst Content Channels Get To Men Who View Online Video
Reaching the high income household is the objective of many advertisers’ media plans. The challenge for advertisers is reaching this attractive segment broadly and within quality content. To help marketers reach high income households, Burst offers a number of engaging content channels that draw an audience saturated with this important and attractive target. (Chart 4)
Burst’s College and Young Adult Channel is a collection of web sites with content focused on topics college students and young adults enjoy and seek out. Topics covered in the channel range from entertainment news and games, to academic and career information. Channel visitors purchase products online – with three-out-of-five (60.5%) saying they do so. Also, over one-half (53.6%) say the Internet is their primary source for information on products and services they plan on purchasing.
Burst’s Science Channel provides information on a variety of different technical disciplines including agriculture, biology, and engineering. During the past month, half (50.8%) of channel visitors went to the movies, and 41.9% purchased a music CD. Over half (55.2%) of channel visitors say they shop online.
Burst’s News & Information Channel provides local and international reporting as well as other forms of opinion and editorial features. Half (53.6%) of channel visitors either research or manage their investments/personal finances online. Three out of five (59.3%) channel visitors say the Internet is their primary source of information for products they are considering to purchase.
Burst’s Music Channel provides information, not only on bands, artists and concerts, but also on instruments and sheet music. More than half (54.9%) of channel visitors shop online. During the past month, half (53.9%) of channel visitors say they purchased a music CD, and 56.4% went to the movies.
Burst’s Men's Channel is a collection of web sites with content focused on topics men enjoy and seek out. Topics covered in the channel range from money and careers to health and sports. More than two-thirds (70.4%) of visitors to the Burst Men's Channel shopped online in the past six months. Also, three out of five (59.5%) channel visitors say the Internet is their primary source of information on products they are considering to purchase.
About Burst MediaAn online media and technology company founded in 1995, Burst Media (www.burstmedia.com) is a leading provider of advertising representation, services and technology to independent Web Publishers. Burst Media levels the playing field for independent web publishers and allows advertisers to reach finely segmented, engaged consumers — in a clutter-free environment — through an extensive number of interest-based sub-channels. The company represents the broadest and deepest number of interest-based Web sites online through its two premier Ad Networks.
 | Delivers customized advertising solutions to brand advertiser looking to reach targeted audiences in a quality and engaging environment. |
 | Simplifies placing direct response campaigns in front of the most appropriate targets to trigger consumer action and achieve campaign performance objective. |
Burst also markets its ad management platform, AdConductor ™, which empowers content web sites, online ad networks, and web portals to manage the complete process of ad sales and service. Burst Media is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, with offices throughout the United States and in London, UK. For more information, visit www.burstmedia.com or call 781.272.5544.
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