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Video Pre-Roll stats

Sorel

Green Pea
Dec 23, 2016
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Sorel
Hi All - We have been using Video Pre-Roll for a few months now. If I was to base a decision on whether to keep using it just by looking at Google Analytics it would be a major NO. Our bounce rate for shoppers on our site that come through the Video Pre-Roll is over 80% (all traffic sources combined it is 28%). Pages per Session from Video Pre-Roll users is 1.17 (all traffic sources combined it is 3.44). Average Session Duration is 40 seconds versus 3 mins 12 seconds for all traffic sources combined. So it looks like to me these folks are not interacting with anything other than the page they land on, are blowing out of it very quickly and they are not spending time on site or really engaging at all. We have had zero conversions - all the Goals we have set up in Google Analytics show 0. But I keep hearing how amazing Video Pre-Roll is and dealers are raving about the results. Any feedback as to what I am missing here? Thanks in advance.
 
Hi All - We have been using Video Pre-Roll for a few months now. If I was to base a decision on whether to keep using it just by looking at Google Analytics it would be a major NO. Our bounce rate for shoppers on our site that come through the Video Pre-Roll is over 80% (all traffic sources combined it is 28%). Pages per Session from Video Pre-Roll users is 1.17 (all traffic sources combined it is 3.44). Average Session Duration is 40 seconds versus 3 mins 12 seconds for all traffic sources combined. So it looks like to me these folks are not interacting with anything other than the page they land on, are blowing out of it very quickly and they are not spending time on site or really engaging at all. We have had zero conversions - all the Goals we have set up in Google Analytics show 0. But I keep hearing how amazing Video Pre-Roll is and dealers are raving about the results. Any feedback as to what I am missing here? Thanks in advance.

Yeah In-Stream (Pre-Roll) ads aren't typically the best if you're judging them solely on their direct response performance.

There are ways to improve the direct response performance though. What audiences are you targeting?

Remarketing lists will typically perform the best, followed by in-market new vehicle brand shoppers. If you're targeting solely on demographics, affinity audiences, topics, or keywords you'll most likely be disappointed with the direct response results.

The video ad you use will also greatly affect your performance (negatively or positively). Yes throwing your regular run of the mill TV spot up is the easiest but you'll get the best results producing a custom video just for youtube to try to grab the viewer's attention in the first 5 seconds.

The more drilled down and segmented you can get with your audiences and video ads, the more direct response results you'll see (conversions). You need all three of these to be as relevant and in-sync as possible: Audience, Ad, Landing Page. Show the right ad to the right person and take them to the right landing page to convert.

You also have to be careful to not focus solely on the direct response performance because if you're targeting the right audiences, you have to also think of it as a branding expense to get in front of people just like with TV and radio.

Hope that helps some!

PS: Anytime a dealer raves about the results take it with a grain of salt until you see the actual data. Unfortunately I've seen dealers rave about some of the worst products simply because they liked their sales rep.
 
I haven't posted in a while, but I have been on both sides of the desk. Right now I happen to be on the vendor side. Our company does sell pre-roll (not a pitch at all). It absolutely is not a lead provider or even a click-thru product. If I am waiting to watch a video on the election or Cubs highlights, I am not going to click off to visit the dealer site.

Pre-roll has to be considered a top of the funnel, branding solution for the most part. The "great" part is that you get guaranteed eyeballs. When we take a client their report and it shows their video/commercial was viewed 15,000 times in their local market, that is strong branding at the top of the funnel. This is "standard" pre-roll, without any targeting at intenders.

Hope that makes sense, please feel free to message me if you have questions. I will always give you mu completely unbiased opinion.
 
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Reactions: Jeff Kershner
Your reach will be great; your CTR (Click-Through Rate) is going to suck. I would look more at the view rates and whom has viewed your content (dig deep), rather than CTR.

That being said, video can influence. It's hard to interpret it, it acts much like a billboard does. What truly brings in a customer? There are many factors that bring in a potential buyer, buyer or lifetime buyer into the showroom (not all buyers are the same either, we're all different). There's no one reason, it's a multitude of reasons. I wouldn't give up on video advertising, but you might need to reduce it from a budget standpoint and apply more to paid search and / or display. Your demographic will let you know what's appreciated, on its own.

Have you been testing your marketing collateral (A/B, multivariate and split)? Or, do you throw stuff out there, hoping for the best? Video can be tested just as much as static or HTML5-based display ads or text (paid search) ads can be.

https://wistia.com/blog/split-testing-video
https://www.vidyard.com/blog/how-to-ab-test-marketing-video
etc.
 
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I would have to ask what you currently do as far as traditional media goes - you can't treat or even attempt to measure pre-roll analytics the same way you would for search. I'm pretty much piggy backing on what @Alexander Lau said.

I have had a long talks with my team about cable vs pre-roll. Ultimately we dropped our comcast and local news commercials completely, relocated a small portion of that budget to pre-roll and it has not hurt our business in the slightest.
 
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Reactions: Alexander Lau
Wow Alex. I am here. On the phone madly trying to figure out why leads from a lead provider are not coming into our CRM. Been off most of the week, literally worked two hours all week. I will be back though. Hold your horses!!