Thursday, August 23, 2012

Real-time bidding video ad inventory is increasing

Real-time bidding video ad inventory is increasing

  • The amount of pre-roll video advertising inventory available for real-time bidding grew by 14% per month in Q2, topping 29.9m streams per day in July according to data from TubeMogul.
  • As a result of the increase in ad space CPMs declined in Q2.
-eConsultancy
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Monday, August 20, 2012

Video Ad Completion and Click-Through Rates, Stats

In pre-roll video advertising, size has a measurable impact upon completion rates, per findings [pdf] from a TubeMogul report covering H1 activity on its media buying platform. 15-second ads of less than 1,000 pixels had a completion rate of 79.5%, compared to 90.9% for ads of the same length measuring more than 1,000 pixels. Completion rates were even higher for 30-second ads, at 80.1% for those less than 1,000 pixels, and 96.2% for those above that size.

Video ads on Tier 1 sites (from well-recognized publishers like news outlets, cable providers and sports broadcasters) had the highest completion rate, at 81.3% overall.

Impressions Peak On Friday, CPMs On Tuesdays

Cost-per-thousand impressions (CPMs) for pre-roll video ads grew 2.5% per month during H1 2012, reaching a peak of $9.93 in June. CPMs were highest on Tuesdays, at more than $9.05 on comScore Top 100 sites (which the report details account for 29% of all streams available for real-time buying). On weekdays, CPMs for the comScore top 100 generally aligned with share of video viewing, though on Friday, while weekends presented somewhat of a bargain, accounting for 29.6% of the week’s video viewing, but also demonstrating the lowest CPMs, at $8.67.

Pre-roll ads available for real-time buying averaged 211 million daily impressions in H1 2012, which represented an average of 4.7% growth per month.

The CPMs were compiled from average clearing prices on the leading private and public exchanges and reflect the raw cost, without factoring in TubeMogul’s transparent cost, or fees from rich media, 3rd-party targeting, or other partners.

Tier 1 Sites Don’t See Better CTRs

Although ads from well-recognized publishers scored better in completion rates, they saw below-average click-through rates (CTRs), at 1.4% for 15-second pre-rolls. In fact, lower quality sites (dubbed tiers 3 and 4) saw the highest CTRs for the 15-second pre-rolls, while tier 2 sites saw the highest CTRs for 30-second pre-rolls.

In general, 30-second pre-roll ads saw a higher average CTR than 15-second ads, with the former north of 1.5%.

This does not necessarily mean that lower-quality publishers have better success: research from Vindico in April 2012 suggested that completion rates are a more important success metric than CTRs. Based on an analysis of 30 billion video ad impressions it served in 2011, Vindico found that of viewers who navigated past the brands’ landing pages, 96% had previously completed the brands’ video ads without clicking, compared to just 4% who had clicked on the ads. And of those navigating to a checkout page, 98% had completed the brands’ video ads without clicking.

About The Data: Data was culled from advertising campaigns running through TubeMogul’s media buying platform, including over 168.5 million streams from standard pre-roll video ads from major brands. All data is from Q1 and Q2 of 2012 and is US specific unless specified. CPMs are compiled from average clearing prices for sites on the leading private and public exchanges, spanning billions of bids.-MarketingCharts

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Saturday, August 18, 2012

36.9 Billion Online Videos Watched July 2012

More than 184 million U.S. Internet users watched 36.9 billion online content videos in July, while video ad views totaled 9.6 billion.

Top 10 Video Content Properties by Unique Viewers
Google Sites, driven primarily by video viewing at YouTube.com, ranked as the top online video content property in July with 157 million unique viewers, followed by Facebook.com with 53 million, Yahoo! Sites with 48.7 million, VEVO with 44.8 million and Microsoft Sites with 42.7 million. Nearly 36.9 billion video content views occurred during the month, with Google Sites generating the highest number at 19.6 billion, followed by AOL, Inc. with 665 million. Google Sites had the highest average engagement among the top ten properties.

Top U.S. Online Video Content Properties by Unique Video Viewers
July 2012
Total U.S. – Home and Work Locations
Content Videos Only (Ad Videos Not Included)
Property Total Unique Viewers (000) Videos (000)* Minutes per Viewer
Total Internet : Total Audience 184,182 36,877,798 1,336.8
Google Sites 156,999 19,586,510 525.0
Facebook.com 53,045 327,801 21.7
Yahoo! Sites 48,693 625,077 70.4
VEVO 44,844 597,107 46.1
Microsoft Sites 42,677 483,280 43.9
AOL, Inc. 39,774 664,568 69.7
Viacom Digital 37,029 420,762 51.3
NDN 35,129 391,699 89.7
Amazon Sites 28,480 99,163 21.2
Turner Digital 24,611 244,887 40.4
*A video is defined as any streamed segment of audiovisual content, including both progressive downloads and live streams. For long-form, segmented content, (e.g. television episodes with ad pods in the middle) each segment of the content is counted as a distinct video stream.Video views are inclusive of both user-initiated and auto-played videos that are viewed for longer than 3 seconds.
Top 10 Video Ad Properties by Video Ads Viewed
Americans viewed 9.6 billion video ads in July, with each of the top 4 video ad properties delivering more than 1-billion video ads. Google Sites ranked first with 1.5 billion ads, followed by Hulu with 1.2 billion, Adap.tv with 1.1 billion, SpotXchange Video Ad Marketplace with 1 billion and TubeMogul Video Ad Platform with 830 million. Time spent watching video ads totaled 3.9 billion minutes, with Adap.tv delivering the highest duration of video ads at 627 million minutes. Video ads reached 52 percent of the total U.S. population an average of 61 times during the month. Hulu delivered the highest frequency of video ads to its viewers with an average of 46, while ESPN delivered an average of 26 ads per viewer.

Top U.S. Online Video Ad Properties by Video Ads* Viewed
July 2012
Total U.S. – Home and Work Locations
Ad Videos Only (Content Videos Not Included)
Property Video Ads (000) Total Ad Minutes (MM) Frequency (Ads per Viewer) % Reach Total U.S. Population
Total Internet : Total Audience 9,607,191 3,902 60.7 51.6
Google Sites 1,521,328 166 19.8 25.0
Hulu 1,221,599 521 46.4 8.6
Adap.tv† 1,132,977 627 18.2 20.3
SpotXchange Video Ad Marketplace† 1,050,727 547 23.8 14.4
TubeMogul Video Ad Platform** 830,406 275 14.3 18.9
Tremor Video** 701,176 368 14.2 16.1
Specific Media** 694,487 321 7.5 30.3
Auditude, Inc.** 677,243 230 13.6 16.3
ESPN 454,946 159 26.1 5.7
AOL, Inc. 383,675 193 10.3 12.2
Note: In July 2012 U.S. Video Metrix data, the BrightRoll Video Network property had an implementation error with its video tags, and so its data has not been included in this press release.

*Video ads include streaming-video advertising only and do not include other types of video monetization, such as overlays, branded players, matching banner ads, etc.
**Indicates video ad network
†Indicates video ad exchange
Top 10 YouTube Partner Channels by Unique Viewers
The July 2012 YouTube partner data revealed that video music channel VEVO (43.9 million viewers) maintained the top position in the ranking. Gaming channel Machinima captured the #2 spot for the first time in July with 25.3 million viewers, followed by Warner Music with 24.9 million and Maker Studios with 20.4 million. Among the top 10 YouTube partners, Machinima demonstrated the highest engagement (83 minutes per viewer) followed by Maker Studios (45 minutes per viewer). VEVO streamed the greatest number of videos (571 million), followed by Machinima (564 million).

Top YouTube Partner Channels* by Unique Video Viewers
July 2012
Total U.S. – Home and Work Locations
Content Videos Only (Ad Videos Not Included)
Property Total Unique Viewers (000) Videos (000) Minutes per Viewer
VEVO @ YouTube 43,861 570,569 44.7
Machinima @ YouTube 25,311 563,860 83.3
Warner Music @ Youtube 24,945 151,088 19.7
Maker Studios @ YouTube 20,404 255,433 45.4
FullScreen @ YouTube 17,323 102,149 19.2
BroadbandTV @ YouTube 9,814 55,985 17.0
Alloy @ YouTube 7,693 41,511 18.9
Big Frame @ YouTube 7,403 43,342 18.0
MOVIECLIPS @ YouTube 7,239 19,230 7.0
IGN @ YouTube 6,694 36,704 17.9
*YouTube Partner Reporting based on online video content viewing and does not include claimed user-generated content
Other findings from July 2012 include:
  • 85.5 percent of the U.S. Internet audience viewed online video.
  • The duration of the average online content video was 6.7 minutes, while the average online video ad was 0.4 minutes.
  • Video ads accounted for 20.7 percent of all videos viewed and 1.6 percent of all minutes spent viewing video online.-comScore

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Thursday, August 16, 2012

Video Ads Click-Through Rates (Report)

The average click-through rate (CTR) for in-stream video ads in the US was 1.03% for the period spanning Q2 2011-Q1 2012, topping the benchmark rates for mobile banners (0.87%), rich media (0.15%), and standard banners (0.1%), according to an August 2012 report from MediaMind. The study also finds that 92.75% of in-stream video ad impressions were started, 82.43% of those were played half of the way through, and 74.78% were fully played. Despite in-stream video’s dominance in CTR, when breaking down rich media ads into different types, floating ads actually performed better, with a CTR of 1.24%. Floating ads also saw a dwell rate of 28.51% and user average dwell time of 3.11 seconds.

Dwell rate is described by the report as the number of impressions that were dwelled upon divided by the total amount of impressions, with dwell defined as an active engagement with an ad - including positioning the mouse over an ad, user-initiation of video, user-initiation of an expansion, and any other user-initiated Custom Interaction. The study excludes unintentional dwell, lasting less than 1 second. User average dwell time refers to the average duration of a dwell.

Aside from CTRs, completion rates are also important to consider when evaluating the performance of in-stream ads. In April, a report from Vindico argued that CTR is not the best metric for measuring online video ad success, finding that users who watched an online video ad show edgreater interest in brand pages than those who arrived at the page by click, making completion rates a better success metric than click-through rates (CTR).

Middle East In-Stream CTR Outstrips All Regions

Data from the “2012 MediaMind Global Benchmarks” indicates that on a regional basis, the Middle East saw the highest benchmark CTR for in-stream video ads, at 7.73%, ahead of Western Europe, at 2.35%. On a broader regional basis, the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region saw the highest benchmark CTR, at 4.52%, no doubt pulled up by the Middle East rate, followed by Southeast Asia (4.03%), and the Asia-Pacific (1.77%).

EMEA also sported the best mobile banner CTR (1.41%), this time pulled up by its Southern Europe (4.29%) and Western Europe (2.38%) components. Africa (0.22%) boasted the highest standard banner CTR, while Central Asia (0.5%) saw the best rich media CTR.

Electronics Tops All Verticals for In-Stream CTR

Meanwhile, examining 21 different verticals, the study finds that in terms of in-stream video ads, electronics took the lead with a CTR of 3.83%, with health and beauty (3.62%), retail (2.5%), telecom (2.23%), medical (2.12%), and CPG (2.09%) also performing well.

For in-stream video completion rates, the gaming vertical saw an impressive 96.33% fully-played rate, though its started rate was a low 42.74%. The medical and service verticals both saw start rates of almost 100% (99.96% and 99.97%, respectively). For some other verticals with high start rates, though - particularly the auto, corporate, and electronics verticals - completion rates (fully played) dropped to roughly 55-70%.

Other Findings:

  • Benchmark CTRs for the B2B vertical were as follows: standard banner (0.11%); mobile banner (1.02%); rich media (0.11%); and in-stream (1.21%). For the CPG vertical, they were: standard banner (0.10%); mobile banner (0.93%); rich media (0.26%); and in-stream (2.09%). For the retail vertical, they were: standard banner (0.11%); mobile banner (0.92%); rich media (0.3%); and in-stream (2.5%).
  • The apparel vertical had the highest standard banner CTR, of 0.13%, while the entertainment vertical had the highest rich media CTR, of 0.33%.
  • Sports had easily the highest mobile banner CTR, of 2.13%.
  • With an in-stream CTR of 8.68%, Turkey easily bested all other countries in this metric.
  • China had the highest standard banner CTR, of 0.36%.
About the Data: The MediaMind report benchmarks ad performance across 4 regions, 21 verticals, and 49 countries.-MarketingCharts

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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Long-form Video Content Packs More Ad Punch

Long-form video content is the most friendly environment for digital advertisers.

Despite being bombarded by an unprecedented fusillade of advertising, consumers of digital video content continue to display a high tolerance for sponsor messaging.

According to a new report from the video monetization firm FreeWheel, the online video environment is increasingly mimicking the experience of the age-old television ad model, as the standard pre-roll spot is giving way to a far more comprehensive break structure.

Upon serving up 10.1 billion video ads in the second quarter of 2012, FreeWheel concluded that long-form content is the most desirable environment for advertisers. Not only are spot loads on the rise—in the three-month period that ended June 30, long-form video content was studded through with eight ads on average, up 167 percent from three in the year-ago period—but viewers are also remarkably tolerant of the interruption.

Despite the heavier spot loads, users viewed 91 percent of the ads slotted within full-length episodic programming, a classification that includes 22-minute sitcoms and scripted dramas. Not only does that mark an improvement from 81 percent in the second quarter of 2011, but the 9 percent avoidance rate is superior to that of broadcast. Per Nielsen C3 ratings data, viewers of the Big Four nets skipped 13.5 percent of ads served during the 2011-12 season.

Total ad views in short-, medium- and long-form content were up 68 percent year over year. And while viewers of short video clips (sports highlights, music videos, etc.) once again demonstrated the least tolerance for ads, the Q2 acceptance rate of 69 percent eclipsed the year-ago 59 percent.

So long as consumers continue to accept the inherent tradeoff of ad-supported content—after all, a few sponsor messages are worth the price of admission for what would otherwise be offered as premium content—content providers are more than happy to simulate standard TV loads in the digital realm. And while pre-roll remains the dominant paradigm, mid-roll is on the rise. Not only did FreeWheel serve up 159 percent more secondary pods in Q2 than it did a year ago, but mid-roll spots now account for about a third of all available online video ads.

While the online space evolves to take on the characteristics of the dominant TV model, there of course is an event horizon beyond which it is impossible to add any more ad content without exasperating the consumer.

Of course, that’s a trick that TV still hasn’t wholly worked out to anyone’s satisfaction, 70-year head start to the contrary. (Anyone who subscribes to basic cable can attest to the skull-clutching tedium of the Saturday afternoon movie—there’s nothing quite like investing two-and-a-half hours in a comedy with a 90-minute run time.)

Along with videos streamed on PC platforms, FreeWheel also monitors usage patterns on mobile devices (tablets, smartphones, et al.). Video views on handheld/non-PC devices doubled in Q2, accounting for 8.2 percent of all such consumption. (Thanks to the Olympics, Q3 deliveries are expected to soar even higher; through Monday, the NBCOlympics.com mobile site had been accessed by 6.8 million unique users.)

Viewing on a PC or laptop increases throughout the day, peaking at 2 p.m. before gradually declining throughout the evening. Mobile and tablet views peak at around 10:30 p.m.

The FreeWheel report aggregates usage data for its clients, a roster of content providers that includes NBCUniversal, CBS, Fox, Turner Entertainment, Discovery Communications, A+E Networks and Univision Interactive Media.-Anthony Crupi, Adweek

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Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Digital Video Ad Completion Rates Continue Rising Amid Higher Loads

Digital video ad views continued to grow at a faster pace than video ad views in Q2 (68% vs. 10% year-over-year), per a FreeWheel study released in August 2012. And despite the number of ads per long-form video reaching 7.96 for the quarter, up from 6.29 the previous quarter, video ad completion rates for long-form content also grew to 91%, from 85% in Q1.

Video ad load increases are particularly evident for long-form content, which served just 3.1 ads per video in Q2 2011, compared to this past quarter’s 7.96. Despite this massive growth in ad loads, completion rates have also improved, from 81% a year ago to 91%, indicating that consumers are becoming more comfortable watching ads in exchange for professionally-produced content (the data in the report represents only video that is rights-managed: aggregate monetization data for professional content from FreeWheel’s customers, and does not reflect trends for user-generated content.)

These findings align with a recent comScore report indicating that online video ad views continue to reach new heights, with Americans viewing more than 11 billion video ads in June, representing a 9.2% increase from May’s previous high of roughly 10.1 billion views.

Completion Rates Also Rise For Mid- and Short-Form Content

Data from FreeWheel’s Q2 “Video Monetization Report” reveals that ad completion rates have also hit their highest rates in 2 years for mid- and short-form content. (Mid-form content refers to content 5-20 minutes in length, while short-form content lasts less than 5 minutes). The ad completion rate for mid-form content increased to 80% in Q2, up from 76% in Q1, and 71% in Q2 2011. For short-form content, the ad completion rate was a relatively lower 69%, though that was also up from 64% in Q1 and 59% in Q2 2011.

While ad loads have not grown as quickly for these videos, they have also reached 2-year highs. In Q2, mid-form content averaged 1.32 ads per video, up from 1.2 the previous quarter, and 0.85 in Q2 2011. For short-form content, there was an average of 0.56 ads per video in Q2, up from 0.53 in Q1 and 0.43 in Q2 2011.

Post-rolls accounted for only a fraction of the total video ads served during the quarter, but grew at a 265% year-over-year rate, compared to a 159% increase for mid-rolls, and a 49% increase for pre-rolls (which accounted for the largest share of ad views).

Non-PC/Mac Viewing Doubles

The report also finds that non-PC/Mac viewing continues to soar. Last quarter, non-PC/Mac viewing held 4.1% share of all professional digital video views, which in itself was a dramatic rise from just 1% a year earlier (see link above). In Q2, though, non-PC/Mac viewing doubled, accounting for 8.2% share of total video views, comprising more than 1 billion video views for the quarter.

About the Data: FreeWheel served over 10.1 billion video ads (pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll) in Q2 2012 and made ad decisions for almost 12.5 billion video views. The report data is primarily on behalf of US-based content producers, however viewing occurs at a global scale.-MarketingCharts

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Monday, August 6, 2012

9 Tips to Get The Most From Video Marketing

Videos are a very effective way of finding new and inexpensive audiences. Even though your videos may only get a moderate amount of views, they are quality views that allow you to leverage the technology to grow your business.

Read more.

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