Brafton published an article about consumer preferences in video, and the piece caught the attention of the study’s publisher, Conviva. The video solutions provider asked Brafton to sit down for a closer discussion of its “Viewer Experience Report,” as we weren’t in full alignment over a few of the implications of the research. We ultimately had a conversation regarding what makes for a truly exceptional video viewer experience. Brafton spoke with Conviva’s President and CEO Darren Feher, Global Chief Marketing Officer Hope Frank and Product Manager Anaid Gomez Ortigoza.
Setting the scene
While strategy is paramount to any effective video marketing campaign, the video delivery chain technology influences how users view visual media on their mobile devices and desktop computers. The content conceptualization and production processes could be perfect, but inadequate delivery puts a campaign at risk. Feher notes, “When you press play, you get frustrated if the experience is grainy, slow or a lower quality grade than it should be. We found that people who experience low-quality video content tend to view half as much as the average internet user.”
Conviva, an international video-solution provider, deploys its technology to help clients analyze video content analytics on a per-person, second-by-second, basis to take preventative action against inferior viewer experiences and ensure the highest image quality. Conviva adds a plugin that tells clients where viewers came from, stream quality, start time and drop-off rate. Conviva’s flagship product, Precision Video, even makes real-time decisions to ensure an optimal viewing experience.
What Conviva’s service can teach content marketers about video
Feher’s experience with video deployment confirms a belief that has spread so rapidly in the content-marketing world it has instantly been recognized as a universal truth: “Quality of experience has to be exemplary.” He went on to say, “If you’re a marketer trying to reach audiences, targeting is key, and too many publishers have limited understanding of how many times a person gets stopped while watching a video and how frequently content never starts.”
Similar to how high-grade web content retains readers’ attention, video must provide viewers with entertaining information and a viewing experience that compels them to stick around longer. It’s all about crafting stickier content across all channels, and Feher says real-time visibility and content analytics can help.
It’s all about crafting stickier content across all channels, and Feher says real-time visibility and content analytics can help.
“Too many customers are guessing on their editorial focus – they have no real insights on where people are clicking from to reach their videos,” Feher said. “If you plan to reach audiences with video content, you must focus on a high-quality experience – incorporate CTAs that add context to your content, understand where viewers typically abandon and tailor content to meet those time frames and optimize your navigation to keep prospects on the page.”
Feher also noted that marketers must consider length and content type before enhancing their campaigns. “We see different patterns according to content format. It’s far more important for short-content to start immediately or else viewers will abandon, compared to long-form which suffers when clips have significant stutter patterns.” Testing different formats can help brands discover which content type and length resonates with their audiences best.
What’s the value of content analytics or a service like Conviva?
“Content creators in the traditional world still believe they know what viewers want,” Feher said. “Content creators in the digital world are savvy enough to know to listen to audiences and then determine what viewers want.”
Content marketing and analytics reporting help companies create smarter strategies that reach users in ways that make them feel most comfortable. It’s important marketers embrace content analytics across mediums, from written blog posts to social media content to video marketing clips, and allow audiences to determine brands’ promotional directions.
“Content creators in the traditional world still believe they know what viewers want,” Feher said. “Content creators in the digital world are savvy enough to know to listen to audiences and then determine what viewers want.”
This data-driven approach is essential to effective content creative today. If brands expect to excel in the visual media realm of content marketing, it is imperative to have the resources in place to analyze viewer trends and quickly adapt to data in real-time. And that is a truism both Conviva and Brafton fully agree upon.
