Online Video Ads and Consumer Response

Online video ads are considered excellent for branding. But, the DoubleClick findings suggest that online video ads perform extremely well even on direct response metrics like click-through rate. While image ads have click-through rates of 0.1%. Online video ads in comparison have click-through rates as high as 0.74%. Spending on them is only 0.6% of their TV counterparts. Online video ads spending should see a surge if publishing networks can find a way of targeting videos contextually. US advertisers are expected to spend $775 million on online video ads this year.

Online video consumption has been increasing with 62% internet users viewing streaming video content once a week. Most of the consumers prefer watching streaming video content at home. Content most watched online include news clips (62%), movie trailers (38%) and music videos (34%). Users in the age group 18-34 are more likely to watch movies, TV Shows and user-generated content online. These users are also more likely to generate video content. In comparison users over 35 years are streaming more news clips, sports clips and user-generated content. 69% of internet users streaming online video content are above 35 years of age.

Consumers are 8% more likely to view to completion video ads that are 15 seconds in length compared to those that are 30 seconds long. However, the 30 second pre-roll video ad format slightly outperforms the 5- and 15- second ad formats in terms of CTR.

Consumers are more receptive to advertising appearing in informational videos as compared to entertainment videos. As consumers are already searching for content related to a product or service, they would be more receptive to relevant advertising. Content-rich videos websites have click-through rates of 0.72% in comparison to premium websites which have click-through rates of 0.35%. Consumers say they are more likely to view through ads (visit advertised sites without clicking on ads) than click-through.

References:

DoubleClick TouchPoints IV "How Digital Media Fit into Consumer Purchase Decisions" (White Paper)
Bi-Annual Online Video Study: First-Half 2007 vs. Second-Half 2006 "The Who, What, When And What Works of Online Video Consumption and Advertising", (Advertising.com)

Consumer Reports Mattress Ratings - The Good News and Bad News

If you are looking for mattress ratings from a credible source, such as Consumer Reports, there's good news and bad news.

The Bad News

Consumer Reports does not rate mattresses. There are a couple of reasons for this, they say. First, their testers disagree on which mattresses are most comfortable. As a result, Consumer Reports says that mattress choice is largely a matter of personal preference.

Second, Consumer Reports says that model names from the top mattress brands differ from store to store. As a result, they say it is impossible to compare models. In addition, they say that even for mattresses that are similar, there are differences in important characteristics that can affect comfort, such as quilting, padding, springs, etc.

Consumer Reports, however, does offer some sound general advice on mattress shopping, such as the importance of lying on different beds to see which one you personally prefer. But in regard to which mattress is best, they will not be of much, if any, help.

The Good News

Is it futile, then, to search for which mattresses may be best? Probably not -- if you know where to look. A terrific source of mattress information can be found on hundreds, if not thousands, of online message boards that are scattered across the web.

People often use these message boards to ask others which mattresses they think are best. People then reply, often giving advice based on their own mattress ownership experience. The responses tend to be very informative, credible and free of "guerilla marketers" -- people within the mattress industry who provide bogus online mattress reviews to sway consumer opinion one way or the other.

By the way, you don't necessarily have to post a mattress question yourself on a message board. You can simply search the web for existing message board threads about mattresses or a particular mattress type or brand you are interested in.

And while you may not find out which mattresses are best on a model level, you will get a good sense of which is best on a brand level, and that can be very valuable information.