Findings from the Jun Group’s The State of Opt-In Video and Consumer Engagement report challenge some of the online ad industry’s conventional wisdom, while highlighting advertiser strategies for using opt-in video successfully.
Opt-in ads represent a shift away from the traditional interruption-based approach of online advertising, which typically appears as 15 or 30-second pre-roll spots in online video.
Instead of forcing consumers to sit through ads that are unwanted and often irrelevant, opt-in advertising gives viewers the choice of whether or not to watch an ad in exchange for reward.
These rewards can take many forms, though the most common are virtual currency on social gaming sites or ad-free music on streaming music sites.
The findings in The State of Opt-In Video and Consumer Engagement are based on a sample of 7.7 million user-initiated video ad views from campaigns from Fortune 500 brands that ran between May and August 2012.
Key insights include:
- Facebook engagement is on the decline. While visiting a brand’s Facebook page is still the most popular post-view activity, it has declined 9% over the past year.
- Finding the right consumers is critical. Using a pre-screening question to identify an individual’s interests or affinities makes them 13% more likely to engage in a post-view activity.
- Made for the web isn’t always the way to go. The difference in engagement rates between repurposed TV commercials and ads specifically created for the web is negligible.
- Shorter isn’t always better. Ad length doesn’t have as much of an impact on completion rates as is commonly thought. 70% of all views came from ads over a minute in length, while ads over two minutes were still completed 87% off the time.
- Gen Y is the least likely to engage. 18-34-year-olds are the least likely to take an action after viewing.
“Opt-in video has long been associated with viral campaigns and flashy content, but this year’s data speaks to the fact that with the right approach, it can be used to drive real, tangible results,” explains Jun Group CEO, Mitchell Reichgut.
“Our hope is that by sharing this research we’re helping to educate advertisers and their agencies about the benefits of opt-in video and the best ways to derive tangible value from the online video ad dollars.”
Jun Group has been at the heart of the opt-in movement since 2005, and has delivered tens of millions of views for the world’s largest brands. At 98% and 3.5% percent respectively, Jun Group’s engagement and completion rates are among the highest in the industry.
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- Multi-screen consumers are changing media dynamics
- Hulu delivered the most video ad impressions in January
- Site quality is a key driver of effective online video advertising
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Tags: engagement, facebook, Gen Y, Jun Group, opt-in video, Report, rewards
