Success Of Web Video Ads Relies On Early Social Sharing [Study]

It’s fairly intuitive that if a web video ad goes viral, it does significant good for both the client and agency. But this study from video technology company Unruly Media Inc. (reported on by eMarketer) highlights just how important it is, especially in the first days of a given campaign. And even if the video doesn’t go completely viral, if sharing is to occur on a decent scale, it needs to happen within the first days of a video’s launch.

Unruly Media took a look at social video sharing throughout 2012, tracking the 200 most-shared brand videos. It ”found that the first three days after an ad’s debut determined a lot about its success: 10% of total shares occurred on the second day after debut, the apparent high point for video ad sharing. And the first three days saw one-quarter of total shares,” writes eMarketer.

Another study, this one conducted in December 2012 by NetBase, indicates that social networkers are ready and willing to share online video. They like to do it! But they want it to be worthy of their time and endorsement. Video sharing was the top internet activity in 2012 among young U.S. web users, according to the study, and was the 2nd most popular web activity among those aged 18 to 34, also in the U.S.

It seems that some industries are better tuned into these online behaviors than others. The entertainment industry is certainly one of those, sitting atop the pack as far as most social video shares in Q1 2013, “which is unsurprising given the adeptness of the industry at creating video content,” writes eMarketer.

As you can see from the graphic above, the fast-moving consumer goods and consumer products (FMCG) industry is also doing well, according to Unruly Media’s study. It capitalized on the recent Super Bowl with ad placements that increased the total number of social video shares in Q1 2013 by a staggering 78.2% from the same time one year prior.

While those two industries see growing success, the auto industry is somewhat floundering in the social video space. It sits in fourth place right now with definite room to grow, in need of a better balanced attack between its focus on TV ads and online ones. It’s a traditional heavyweight in the TV ad space and it’ll be interesting to see how the industry — along with other struggling ones like sports, retail, and finance — adjusts to the growing influence of web video advertising and social video sharing.

Any thoughts on web video ads? Do you share them often? Do you create and/or produce them? Let us know in the comments and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn.

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