Short online videos as valuable as longer ones, research shows
December 8th, 2011
According to new research, the length of an online video has little impact on its effectiveness as a marketing tool, with short videos proving as valuable as longer ones.
The Specific Media ‘Video Testing and Measurement Insights’ (VITAMIN) study was revealed at the recent London-based IAB Video Engage conference held by the IAB Video Council, which was a ‘celebration of the fastest growing ad format in the UK with leading speakers from the video industry.’
The study found that short form video content was ‘just as effective’ as longer videos when it came to tracking key advertising effectiveness metrics.
European research manager for Specific Media, Chris Worrell, told Equimedia, “The VITAMIN research highlights the power of online video advertising and the effectiveness of various formats.
“It's reassuring to see that when it comes to key brand metrics, just because content is longer, it doesn't mean that it will be more effective, as short form video content and long form delivered similar results,” Mr Worrell added.
The VITAMIN study also found that, whilst the length of the video was not so important to its success, the originality of the content was. Truly original branded content proved to have the strongest impact on web users, with recall levels sitting at around 26 per cent. “The strong performance of original content also points to a massive opportunity for brands,” Mr Worrell added.
The study comes shortly after research from comScore highlighted the growing prevalence and popularity of online video, with 184 million US internet users tuning into some form of video content in October. The month also witnessed an all-time high of videos being viewed, with web users based in the US viewing 42.6 billion videos.
Mike Shaw, director of comScore Marketing Solutions, told the news provider, “Over the past few years, video and mobile have emerged as important channels for advertisers seeking to reach digital consumers.
“Penetration for these will only grow as mobile advertising continues to increase and more advertisers incorporate video as an integral part of their marketing strategy,” he went on to say.