New State of Video Report Finds 84% of Consumers Will Watch Video Ads on Their Favorite Website to Access Desired Content

Connatix’s new report provides publishers and advertisers with deep dive into consumer preferences and viewing habits

Connatix, the leading video technology company for premium publishers and advertisers, today released a new state of video report – a comprehensive look at consumer viewing preferences related to online video and video advertising across publishers. The report, titled, Consumers are Watching; Here’s How They Want Their Video Ads, surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 18 and older to understand what type of videos they want to see from publishers, how viewers want to be exposed to video ads, and how contextual alignment impacts ad engagement. The report findings provide actionable insights for publishers and advertisers aiming to effectively tailor their video strategies and reach diverse audience segments.

Overall, the report found that consumers are willing to participate in a clear value exchange; despite the industry’s ongoing concerns around privacy and ad fatigue, consumers are watching video ads and they are willing to exchange data for access to video content. In addition, and despite assumptions that social media is the only destination for online video, the research reveals that publishers account for a large portion of video viewing and purchasing.

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Key Takeaways:

Consumers are Watching Video and Video Ads

• 46 percent of survey respondents reported spending more than 10 minutes up to an hour a day consuming video, with 27 percent reporting that they spend more than an hour watching.
• 75 percent of those surveyed made at least one purchase as a result of watching a video ad within the last year.
• Viewers report that they will watch an ad 37 percent of the time, with six percent saying they always watch ads.
• The majority of viewers (84 percent) across all demographics, report that they would watch an ad on their favorite website to access desired video content.

Viewers Want Entertainment and News from Publishers

• 68 percent of viewers aged 55 and over visit publishers’ websites directly for news content (compared to 55% of all consumers).
• 71 percent of consumers making less than $50,000 per year want entertainment content from publishers (compared to 55 percent for those making more than $150,000).

Viewers are Happy to Share Data To Access Desired Video Content

• 49 percent of consumers are willing to share information regarding their age and gender identity to access desired video content.
• 37 percent of consumers are willing to provide access to websites where previous purchases were made.
• 33 percent would share websites they visited.
• 24 percent of respondents would be willing to disclose more personal information, such as size of family, height, weight, and address.
• 5 percent of respondents are willing to share their Social Security number to access desired video content.

While Social Remains a Video Destination, More Consumers are Turning to Publishers for Video Content

• While social channels remain a top destination for video viewing, publisher websites and their related tablet and mobile apps also attract strong audiences (45 percent and 41 percent respectively).
• 68 percent of consumers report visiting three or fewer channels to consume video content, indicating that publishers have an opportunity to keep viewers onsite longer with engaging experiences.

Contextual Alignment Can Increase Engagement

• 83 percent of respondents prefer to see ads online that are related to their personal interests, and 82 percent notice when an ad is related to the content of the video they are watching.
• 64 percent of respondents aged 18-34 are more likely to watch a video ad if its content is aligned with previously consumed non-advertising content.
• 46 percent of consumers click on recommended articles or videos at least half the time.
• 57 percent of people are more likely to watch a recommended video if it’s about the same topic they just consumed.

Viewers Prefer to Watch With Sound and Click-To-Play

• 58 percent of viewers prefer to control their experience through click-to-play functionality.
• 54 percent of respondents watch video with the sound on either always or most of the time while only 6 percent never watch with sound.

“By understanding how and what viewers want to consume, publishers and advertisers can deliver the types of video content that engages consumers and drives real value for all parties,” said Jenn Chen, CRO and president of Connatix. “Knowing that most consumers prefer to see ads related to their interests, and that consumers are more likely to watch ads that are about topics they just consumed can help publishers and advertisers supercharge their video content strategies. Our hope is that this report will empower the buy and sell sides with the insights they need to tap into the power of online video.”

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