NAB: Adobe Study Shows High Online Ad Engagement

Completion rates for mid-roll online ads climb to 87% in second half of 2011

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/17/2012 12:00:00 AM

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New research from Adobe that was based on some 2.5 billion video add impressions offers up some good news for companies looking to boost revenue from their online and mobile distribution content. The study, which is being released at NAB, found that engagement -- measured by completion rates -- for mid-roll video ads hit 87% in online content in the last half of 2011. This was up from 75% in earlier study covering the January to July 2011 time frame.

The study also found that mobile users were the most engaged viewers, with a 94% completion rates in mid-roll ads and that the number of ads in professionally produced content now averages about 5.5.

The findings are important for companies who have been delivering more online and mobile content but have "struggled to monetize premium content," notes Jeremy Helfant, VP of monetization at Adobe in an interview.

Both the high engagement levels, which could make online and mobile content more attractive to advertisers, as well as the increase in the number of ads in the content could boost overall revenues, he argued.

"The latest data demonstrates the strong potential for expanding traditional broadcast advertising dollars to digital video," he adds.

The study also found that mid-roll video ads continue to offer the most engagement, measured by completion rates. This placement is more comparable to traditional TV commercial breaks, which suggests that audiences are interested in consuming TV-like experiences online, Helfand says.

Live content also has higher engagement rates, with a 85% completion rates, 23% higher than VOD.

Professional content also had higher completion rates for video ads (76%) than user-generated content, which had a 63% ad completion rate.

The release of the study at NAB is part of a push by Adobe to highlight the importance for better solutions to help companies generate revenue form digital distribution. Earlier this year, as part of that effort, Adobe introduced its Project Primetime video technology platform, which is designed to help deliver ad supported TV-like experiences on Web-connected devices.

The first solution offered under Project Primetime platform was the ability to easily clip content from live streams and add advertisements.

The 2.5 billion ad impressions covered by the survey were served via Adobe Auditude, Adobe's video ad management and monetization platform and a key component of its Project Primetime initiative.