Online Video and Advertising

Thanks to Siobhan O'Flynn of the Canadian Film Centre Media Lab for spotlighting a fascinating report from Burst Media. The Burst Media report says fully 71.6 percent of adult web users access video content at least once per week online.

Of particular interest to filmmakers thinking about moving to the web as a platform, the Burst Media survey (of 1,025 online U.S. adults aged 18 or older conducted in October 2011) found that - compared to standard display media on the web - viewers are more likely to interact and engage with online video. 18.2% of the viewers surveyed said they have taken an action (such as visiting the advertiser's website or making a purchase) based on what they saw within an online video. I don't know how that number compares with other forms of marketing, but as the audience for online video grows (more bandwidth and mobile players with video capability) and the evidence builds that online viewers really respond to video - it seems likely that much more money will flow into video content for online marketing campaigns.

Finally, if - like me - you're closely watching the "two screen" phenomenon, you should know that 4-in-5 (80.8%) of the online video viewers surveyed by Burst Media said they also surf the web while they are watching television.