Executive Summary
In 2014, Demand Metric and Vidyard together completed an inaugural video marketing benchmark study to understand how video performs, where it is hosted, how it is measured and how viewing data works its way into the sales funnel. The 2015 study investigates these same themes, and adds some new ones as well: probing where video is used and what types of video content organizations are producing.
No survey is required to know that video remains a highly favored type of content. Instead, this study investigates aspects of video marketing to determine if marketers are gaining maturity in measuring how video content performs in key areas, such as conversion, and how well integrated video viewing data is with the systems that marketers and sales teams rely on: Marketing Automation and CRM. As mainstream as video has become in the content lineup that most companies offer, the tracking, use and integration of video consumption data does not parallel the adoption of video as a content type.
What this study determined is that success with video content marketing is not merely a product of producing quality video that engages. Success is also driven by how well video content – and metrics – is integrated with the marketing technology stack. It is no longer safe for marketers to assume that just because they are deploying video content, that it is effective. They must track that effectiveness and not simply rely on the novelty of video to create success.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Executive Summary
- The Importance of Video
- The Performance of Video
- Hosting & Producing Video Content
- Video Viewing Data Integration
- Video Content Budget
- Analyst Bottom Line
- Acknowledgements
- About Vidyard
- About Demand Metric
- Appendix - Survey Background
2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
3
4
6
12
17
19
Introduction
Executive Summary
The Importance of Video
The Performance of Video
Hosting & Producing Video Content
Video Viewing Data Integration
28
30
31
Acknowledgements
About Demand Metric
Appendix – Survey Background
24
26
Video Content Budget
Analyst Bottom Line
29 About Vidyard
3. INTRODUCTION
In 2014, Demand Metric and Vidyard together completed an inaugural video marketing benchmark study to understand how
video performs, where it is hosted, how it is measured and how viewing data works its way into the sales funnel. The 2015 study
investigates these same themes, and adds some new ones as well: probing where video is used and what types of video
content organizations are producing.
No survey is required to know that video remains a highly favored type of content. Instead, this study investigates aspects of
video marketing to determine if marketers are gaining maturity in measuring how video content performs in key areas,
such as conversion, and how well integrated video viewing data is with the systems that marketers and sales teams
rely on: Marketing Automation and CRM. As mainstream as video has become in the content lineup that most companies
offer, the tracking, use and integration of video consumption data does not parallel the adoption of video as a content type.
What this study determined is that success with video content marketing is not merely a product of producing quality video that
engages. Success is also driven by how well video content – and metrics – is integrated with the marketing technology
stack. It is no longer safe for marketers to assume that just because they are deploying video content, that it is effective. They
must track that effectiveness and not simply rely on the novelty of video to create success.
3
4. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A majority of this study’s participants were in marketing roles in B2B or mixed B2B/B2C organizations that reported revenue
growth in the most recently completed fiscal year. Study data was collected only from participants that acknowledged using
video as a form of marketing content.
The analysis of this study’s data provides these key findings:
The importance of video as a content type remains high, with over 90% of respondents reporting that video is becoming
more important.
Over three-fourths of respondents are using video on their websites and in their social media channels.
The most common types of videos respondents are producing are “explainer” and product feature videos.
Video content produces conversions better than other forms of content for 74% of respondents.
Half of the respondents report that the ROI of video is getting better. The percent reporting improving ROI jumps to 70%
for sales teams that use video viewing data to qualify leads, engage prospects or influence specific deals.
72% of respondents are using no or only basic measures of video content effectiveness, giving them no way to
accurately determine ROI.
4
5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Just 15% of respondents have integrated video viewing data with key sales and marketing systems, and are
exploiting the data from that integration. While this figure is low, it has almost doubled from 2014 when it was just 9%.
Respondents who have integrated video viewing data – and are using it – are almost twice as likely to report that the
ROI of video is getting better compared to those who have not integrated this data.
This report details the results and insights from the analysis of the study data. For more detail on the survey participants, please
refer to the Appendix.
5
6. 0%
5%
95%
1%
8%
91%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Less important Not changing More important
The Importance of Video as Marketing Content
2014 2015
Figure 1: For almost everyone surveyed, video as a content type continues to grow in importance.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
6
As a content type, video is far more prevalent than it
was even in the recent past.
Often, the popularity of a content type can render it less
effective, but this 2015 study shows that video has staying
power and its importance continues to grow: it has not lost
its ability to differentiate.
Even as a mainstream form of content, video’s importance
continues to grow as Figure 1 summarizes.
If there is any doubt about the popularity and importance of
video content, the data in Figure 1 quickly removes that
doubt. The current perception matches the reality: virtually
the entire marketing community acknowledges that
video is still growing in importance as a type of
marketing and sales content.
7. 25%
26%
32%
9%
8%
27%
26%
31%
11%
5%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Less than 5
5 to 10
11 to 50
51 to 100
More than 100
Marketing Videos Produced Annually
2015 2014
The study also tracked the quantity of videos that are being
produced annually.
Figure 2 shows a year-to-year comparison of this video
volume production data.
Over half of organizations that participated in this
study produce between 5 to 50 videos annually for
marketing purposes.
Interestingly enough, the number of organizations
producing more than 50 videos annually remained virtually
the same, 16% in 2015 compared to 17% in 2014.
7
Figure 2: The annual pace at which study respondents are producing video has changed little year-
to-year, with the 11-50 category still in the lead.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO
8. 35%
27%
22%
10%
6%
11%
21%
57%
8%
3%
5%
45%
30%
15%
5%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Less than 5
5 to 10
11 to 50
51 to 100
More than 100
Videos Produced Annually by Company Revenue
Large Medium Small
As was the case in 2014, there are differences in video
production volume based on company size.
Company size is determined by annual revenue, where
small companies are those reporting $25 million or less,
medium companies between $26 and $500 million, and
large companies over $500 million.
Figure 3 displays a breakdown of the data from Figure 2 by
company size, using annual revenue to categorize
responding companies by size.
Small companies are seven times more likely than
large companies, and three times more likely than mid-
sized companies, to indicate that they produce less
than 5 videos annually. Surprisingly, small companies are
also the most likely to be producing more than 100 videos
annually as shown in Figure 3.
75%, or more, of mid-sized and large companies are
maintaining video production at 5-50 videos
annually for marketing purposes.
8
Figure 3: 71% of study participants say that video converts somewhat better or much better
than other content types.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO
9. 5%
15%
22%
40%
43%
53%
76%
81%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Other
Dedicated video network
Sales conversation
Emails
Recorded webinars
Landing pages
Social media
Website
Where Video Content is Used
Figure 4: Websites and social media pages are the preferred places to use video.
The 2015 study explored some new dimensions about the
use of video, the first of which was where video is
deployed, which Figure 4 summarizes.
While video content is most often used on websites
and in social media, the write-in comments for the
“Other” response option provided by survey
participants reveal how pervasive video has become.
According to these write-in comments, video is being used
in press releases, in Google virtual tours and for distribution
on USB drives.
9
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO
10. 7%
20%
34%
38%
38%
43%
59%
59%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Other video types
Cultural content
Live-action videos
Talking head style videos
Thought leader interviews
Customer testimonials
Product feature videos
Explainer videos
Type of Videos
10
As varied as where video is used is the type of videos that
marketers are creating and deploying.
Figure 5 shows this variety and distribution.
More than half of organizations participating in the
study are utilizing explainer and product feature videos
as part of their video content efforts.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
Figure 5: Explainer and product feature videos are in use by a majority of survey respondents.
11. Where videos are used (Figure 4) and which types of videos are in use (Figure 5) are correlated. Figure 6 shows the top
three types of videos used for each distribution option.
Cultural content videos rank next-to-last in Figure 5 for usage, but the analysis of this study’s data revealed an interesting
relationship. The percentage of respondents producing more than 100 videos annually (Figure 2) is low, at 5% in 2015.
However, this group has the highest incidence of producing cultural content videos. In fact, this type of video ties with
product feature videos as the most heavily produced. Whatever the reason, the group that is prolific in terms of video production
puts a strong emphasis on projecting who they are and what they believe in by way of cultural content videos.
Landing Pages Emails Website Social Media
Dedicated Video
Network
Recorded
Webinars
Sales
Conversation
1 Explainer Product Feature Product Feature Product Feature Product Feature Explainer Product Feature
2 Product Feature Explainer Explainer Explainer Explainer Product Feature Explainer
3 Customer Testimonial Customer Testimonial Customer Testimonial Customer Testimonial Talking Head Style Thought Leader Content Customer Testimonial
Figure 6: The top three types of videos in use by place of use.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
THE IMPORTANCE OF VIDEO
11
12. 0%
2%
27%
52%
19%
0%
6%
20%
51%
23%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Much worse
Somewhat worse
About the same
Somewhat better
Much better
Conversion Performance of Video
2015 2014
Video has proven an exceptional content type to support all
stages of the buyer’s journey. When a conversion occurs,
it marks a pivotal point in the buyer’s journey, either
from prospect to qualified prospect, or from qualified
prospect to customer.
For this reason, this study examined how well video
produces conversions compared to other types of content,
and Figure 7 shows this conversion performance.
When producing conversions is a goal of content
marketing efforts, video is a proven performer; and its
performance is improving.
12
Figure 7: 74% of study participants report that video converts better than other content types, a
slight increase over 2014.
THE PERFORMANCE OF VIDEO
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
13. Figure 8: Half of the study’s participants report that the ROI of video is getting better.
13
A conversion is a precursor to revenue, and video’s strong
conversion performance implies that it should have a
correspondingly strong return-on-investment (ROI).
As Figure 8 shows, the ROI of video, like its conversion
performance, is also improving.
The ROI of video is related to how well it produces
conversions (Figure 7), but also to the extent to which the
sales team uses video viewing data.
Figure 8 shows that 50% of study participants report
that the ROI of video is getting better, a slight
improvement over 2014. This ROI effect increases to 70%
for organizations when their sales teams, to some or a
great extent, use video viewing data to qualify leads,
engage prospects or influence specific deals.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
THE PERFORMANCE OF VIDEO
26%
1%
25%
48%
26%
1%
23%
50%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Unknown
Declining
Staying the same
Getting better
How is the ROI of Video Changing?
2015 2014
14. If there is a concern about the data in Figure 8, it is that over one-fourth of organizations do not know the ROI they’re
getting from their video content. It’s quite possible to determine the ROI for video content. If organizations don’t know what
the ROI is, it is because they choose not to measure it, not because the data is unavailable. Knowing ROI – and other
performance metrics of video – is a function of tracking the proper metrics. This study measured the usage of the three, broad
categories of effectiveness metrics:
1. Basic: these are measures of consumption, such as views or shares, and they are relatively easy to capture. However,
these metrics don’t allow determination of ROI, nor do they provide indicators of engagement. For these reasons, their
usefulness is limited.
2. Intermediate: these are basic measures of engagement, such as average viewing duration. With intermediate metrics,
insights into video viewing behavior begin to emerge.
3. Advanced: these metrics include views by embed location, viewer drop-off rates, viewing heat maps or attribution to sales
pipeline. With these metrics, precise determinations are possible regarding revenue impact and ROI.
These categories of metrics are related to levels of maturity in video marketing. As the more advanced metrics see use, the
video marketing maturity also increases.
14
THE PERFORMANCE OF VIDEO
15. 14%
48%
24%
14%
23%
49%
14%
14%
0% 20% 40% 60%
None
Basic
Intermediate
Advanced
Video Content Effectiveness Measures in Use
2015 2014
15
Figure 9 summarizes the usage of the metrics that were
identified and defined on the previous page of this report to
measure video marketing effectiveness.
Figure 9 presents an opportunity regarding metrics to view
the glass as half full or half empty. Because metrics are so
crucial to any form of marketing success, this report will
view the results of Figure 9 pessimistically.
Almost one-fourth of organizations surveyed have no
video effectiveness measures in place, and almost half
are using only basic ones. This means that about three-
quarters of the participants have no means of precisely
determining the ROI of their video marketing efforts.
Worse, the percentage of companies not using any
measures of video performance has increased from
2014. This is not an encouraging trend. Intermediate or
advanced metrics are necessary to understand how video
content is engaging the target audience.
THE PERFORMANCE OF VIDEO
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
Figure 9: There is no increase year-to-year in the use of advanced metrics.
16. As an organization produces an increasing number of videos, it discovers the need to use more advanced measures to
understand how those videos engage. Figure 10 depicts the correlation between the type of measure in use and the annual
volume of videos produced.
Organizations that were part of this study and also use advanced metrics are producing more marketing videos: 81%
produce 11 or more annually. This compares to just 36% for those using no measurements. The conclusion about this
relationship between measurements and production volume is that advanced measurements become imperative at high
production volumes to tune performance and truly understand ROI on the larger investment made in producing them.
Less than 5 Videos
Produced Annually
5 to 10 Videos
Produced Annually
11 to 50 Videos
Produced Annually
51 to 100 Videos
Produced Annually
More than 100 Videos
Produced Annually
No Metrics 50% 7% 23% 12% 0%
Basic Metrics 40% 68% 47% 31% 37%
Intermediate Metrics 10% 15% 10% 19% 50%
Advanced Metrics 0% 10% 20% 38% 13%
Figure 10: As annual video production volumes rise, so does the use of more advanced metrics.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
THE PERFORMANCE OF VIDEO
17. 20%
36%
44%
20%
38%
42%
0% 20% 40% 60%
External: agencies, studios,
freelancers or contract
employees
Internal staff & resources
Combination of internal &
external resources
Video Production Resources
2015 2014
17
This study finds that at present, brands will continue to
rely heavily on external channels for hosting and
distribution of video, rather than on internally owned
web properties. At the same time, brands recognize the
need to bring visitors to their own sites to watch video
content rather than sending them away to 3rd party
channels. They want to offer a simple, yet elegant, viewing
experience in an environment that they control, and one
that is secure.
Even recently, video was considered one of the most
difficult and expensive forms of content to produce,
requiring specialized skills and expensive technology to get
quality results. Quite often, organizations did not have
the resources in-house to produce quality video.
Today, video is much easier to produce and the
resource picture is very different. Figure 11 shows the
year-to-year change from where most video production
resources come.
HOSTING & PRODUCING VIDEO CONTENT
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
Figure 11: Little has changed regarding video production resources.
18. Conventional wisdom might suggest that large companies, because they have the most resources, are most likely to solely use
internal resources for video production. In fact, large companies have the greatest incidence of external resource usage for
this purpose.
Small companies are most likely to do video production with their own, internal resources quite probably because it is
easier than ever to keep costs low by creating introductory-quality video in-house. Mid-sized companies are the least likely to
solely rely on external resources.
The future direction for video production resources is away from internal resources toward external resources, or a
blend of internal and external.
18
HOSTING & PRODUCING VIDEO CONTENT
19. 20%
29%
26%
16%
9%
22%
23%
25%
15%
15%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
No plans to integrate
Planning to integrate
sometime
Planning to integrate
within 12 months
Integrated but not
exploiting the data
Integrated & exploiting
the data
Integration Status of Video Viewing Data
2015 2014
VIDEO VIEWING DATA INTEGRATION
19
Video content exists less on an island, with no integration
into key marketing and sales systems, and more as a fully
integrated part of a content marketing strategy.
The integration of video viewing data with marketing
automation and CRM systems is imperative. This
integration enables marketers to track the more advanced
measurements (Figure 9) and provides sales teams with
practical insights about sales funnel leads from video
consumption data.
Virtually all who responded to this study – 92% –
agreed that having video viewing data about individual
leads in the sales funnel was of value. Figure 12
displays the current state of video viewing data integration
with marketing automation and/or CRM systems.
The total number of organizations in this study that have
integrated video viewing data into their marketing
automation and CRM systems is relatively low, but it is
growing at a high rate.
Figure 12: The number of organizations that have integrated viewing data with marketing
automation and/or CRM systems – and are exploiting it – has increased year-to-year.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
20. 31%
2%
21%
46%
4%
0% 13%
83%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Unknown Declining Staying the same Getting better
Integration of Video Viewing Data & ROI
No integration Integration & data exploitation
20
There is a strong correlation between the integration of
this viewing data and ROI. To fully understand video ROI,
it is necessary to integrate this viewing data into key
systems. This necessity appears in Figure 13, which shows
the dramatic difference in how ROI is changing (Figure 8)
for companies that have completed integration – and are
using the data (Figure 12) – and those that have not.
The contrasts in Figure 13 are dramatic. 54% of those that
have not integrated video viewing data into marketing
automation and/or CRM systems report that the ROI of
their video marketing is unknown, declining or staying
the same. For those that have completed the integration
and are exploiting it, over 80% report that their ROI is
getting better. Furthermore, only 4% of the integrated group
does not know how the ROI is changing, while almost a
third of the non-integrated group don’t know this.
The message is clear: if you want to understand what
kind of ROI is coming from video, you must integrate
viewing data with key marketing and sales systems.
And when this integration is complete and providing data,
the news about video ROI is very good.
Figure 13: Those who have integrated video viewing data with marketing automation and/or CRM
systems are almost twice as likely to report that the ROI of video is getting better.
VIDEO VIEWING DATA INTEGRATION
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
21. 2% 3%
15%
47%
33%
2% 3%
19%
46%
30%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Very
unimportant
Somewhat
unimportant
Neutral Somewhat
important
Very important
Importance of Viewing Data for Lead Scoring
2014 2015
21
One reason this connection between integrated
viewing data and ROI is so strong is because this
integration enables this data to help score and qualify
leads in the sales funnel. It is a powerful thing for
members of the sales team to know the viewing profile of
individual leads: which videos leads have seen, viewing
duration, repeat views, sharing and other metrics
associated with video consumption.
Figure 14 shares how important survey participants feel
that it is to integrate video viewing data with their lead
scoring or marketing automation workflows.
Figure 14 confirms that for over 75% of organizations,
the value of integrating video viewing data with lead
scoring or marketing automation workflows is high.
However, Figure 12 provides the current state of this
integration: just 30% of surveyed organizations have
completed it, and only half of them are exploiting the data.
Marketers have an opportunity to prove and grow
the ROI of their video marketing efforts by
completing this integration.
VIDEO VIEWING DATA INTEGRATION
Figure 14: Over three-fourths of study participants feel this integration is important.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
22. 22
Another major benefit of integrating video viewing data
with key marketing and sales systems is the metrics
the integration enables.
Figure 9 shares the current status quo for video
measurements: the use of advanced metrics that provide
true indicators of engagement is low. Figure 15 shows how
video measurement usage changes when video viewing
data is integrated.
The implied message of Figure 15 is that organizations
that have completed this integration and are using the
data it provides have a much better view of
engagement with their video content. With integration,
usage of intermediate and advanced measures is over
twice the rate for organizations with no integration of this
viewing data. Usage of advanced measures is occurring at
almost three times the rate!
This precise understanding of engagement, enabled by
more advanced measurement data, is just one of
the many fruits of video viewing data integration.
Figure 15: Integration of video viewing data enables higher usage of intermediate and advanced
measurements for survey participants.
VIDEO VIEWING DATA INTEGRATION
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
23%
49%
14% 14%
8%
33%
21%
38%
0%
20%
40%
60%
None Basic Intermediate Advanced
Integration of Video Viewing Data & Metrics
No integration Integration & data exploitation
23. 11%
37%
22%
24%
6%
10%
34%
18%
32%
6%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
I don't know
To no extent
To a slight extent
To some extent
To a great extent
Sales Use of Viewing Data to Influence Deals
2015 2014
23
A practical benefit of the integration discussed in this
section of the report is the ability it provides the sales team
to easily access and use video viewing data to qualify
leads, engage prospects or influence specific deals.
Figure 16 shares the extent to which sales teams in this
study are using video viewing data for this purpose.
The number of sales organizations in this study whose
team members use video viewing data to work with
prospects is growing. This increased usage is certainly
related to the higher rate of video viewing data integration
that occurred this year (Figure 12).
Making viewing data available via integration through
the systems that sales and marketing teams use removes
the biggest barrier to practical use of this data.
VIDEO VIEWING DATA INTEGRATION
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
Figure 16: The extent to which sales teams use video viewing data has increased year-to-year.
24. VIDEO CONTENT BUDGET
24
Where marketers spend their limited funds says much
about their priorities. The investment pattern that this study
discovered confirms that video content is a high priority for
most marketing departments. Figure 17 shares the relative
growth of video content budgets over the past two years.
Budgets for creating video content continue to grow,
and there has even been a slight acceleration in the
rate of increase between 2014 and 2015. Viewing this
budget data from Figure 17, just for the 69% of participants
that indicated their video content budgets are increasing,
these characteristics emerge:
Conversion performance (Figure 7): 83% of companies
that are increasing their video content budgets report
slightly or significantly better conversion performance of
video content, compared to other types. The comparable
conversion performance rate for the full sample is 74%.
Volume (Figure 2): Almost two-thirds of this budget
increase will come in organizations that make
between 5 and 50 videos annually.
Figure 17: Even one year later, just as many study participants predict that their video content
budgets will continue growing.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
1% 2%
28%
53%
16%
0%
2%
29%
49%
20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Significantly
decreasing
Slightly
decreasing
Staying the
same
Slightly
increasing
Significantly
increasing
Video Content Budget
2014 2015
25. Figure 18: Increased video budgets correlate to having viewing data for leads in the sales funnel.
VIDEO CONTENT BUDGET
25
In this study, 41% of participants indicated that it was
of great value to have video viewing data about
individual leads in their sales funnels.
This perception of value carries over into their willingness to
budget for creating video content. Figure 18 shows the
budget data from Figure 17, filtered for just this 41% in the
full survey sample.
Video continues to have strong momentum and
organizations are allocating more of their marketing
budgets to video.
Video’s ability to convert (Figure 7) is improving, as is its
ROI performance (Figure 8), and those results are leading
marketers to invest more in producing video content.
2015 Video Content Metrics Benchmark Study, Demand Metric, October 2015, n=174
2%
29%
69%
0%
19%
81%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Decrease Staying the same Increase
Budget Comparison
All Respondents Respondents placing great value on having video viewing data for leads in the funnel
26. ANALYST BOTTOM LINE
The benefits and performance of video as a content type were strong in the 2014 study, and in 2015 the story for video
has become even better. Organizations that are not yet exploiting video as part of their content strategy, or those that are just
dabbling with it, should give serious consideration to making video the centerpiece of their content mix.
As marketers expand their use of video, they need to recognize the factors that are critical to achieving the best results. Success
with video involves much more than just producing quality video and making it available through the right hosting or marketing
platforms. Those organizations that are achieving stellar results from their video marketing efforts are doing three things
beyond focusing on production quality:
Integrating video viewing data. This study has shown that the best conversion and ROI results are the result of integrating
video viewing data with marketing automation and CRM systems that marketing and sales teams use regularly. Integrating
viewing data opens up a new collection of insights about viewers that allow Marketing to better nurture leads and cultivate
advocates. Sales can use viewing data to discern the disposition of individual leads in the sales funnel, using this data to help
qualify leads, engage prospects and influence specific deals. In order for these things to occur, viewing data integration
must exist, so choosing a video hosting or marketing platform that makes this integration possible is a prerequisite.
Measuring the right things. Marketing is becoming more data driven, and video is an aspect of marketing that benefits
from tracking the right metrics, and then doing something with that data. Figure 9 presents a rather bleak picture with
respect to the current state of video content metrics, with 72% of participants using no measurements or only basic ones. Those
who are using intermediate (e.g. average viewing duration) or advanced (e.g. views by embed location, viewer drop-off rates,
attribution to sales pipeline) metrics are getting better results because they’re using the performance data to drive better
engagement. Engagement leads to more of the desired behaviors: sharing and conversion, which boosts ROI. Marketers
cannot allow themselves to remain in the dark about how well their video content is driving engagement.
27. ANALYST BOTTOM LINE
Controlling the brand. There are free, ubiquitous, video-hosting platforms that are easy to use, with YouTube heading up this
list. It is fine to exploit these platforms; and they provide some benefits in the area of search marketing. What they don’t do,
however, is allow the marketer that uses them to have full control over their brand or the viewer’s experience. They also don’t
automatically drive traffic to the brand’s website. When marketers have optimizing the presentation of the brand or driving
traffic to the brand’s web properties as objectives, then marketers must consider a video hosting or marketing
platform that allows them to do this.
Many types of content have their “day in the sun” and then lose their luster. Video has not yet reached its apex; its appeal and
allure are fully intact and continue to grow. Marketers that wisely exploit video by using a platform that simplifies integrating
viewing data and enables the tracking of advanced measures can expect exceptional results.
27
28. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Demand Metric is grateful to Vidyard for sponsoring this benchmarking study and for those participants that took the time to
provide their input to it.
28
29. ABOUT VIDYARD
If video is part of your marketing strategy, you need a way to measure its impact on revenue. As the world’s leading video
marketing platform, Vidyard can show you exactly how viewers interact with your videos. This means you can continuously
improve your marketing strategy based on measurable results.
Along with hosting your video content, Vidyard reveals who’s watching your videos, and for how long with detailed viewer analytics
and engagement data you can push directly into your MAP and CRM.
Transform viewers into customers today. For more information, visit www.vidyard.com.
29
30. ABOUT DEMAND METRIC
Demand Metric is a marketing research and advisory firm serving a membership community of over 70,000 marketing
professionals and consultants in 75 countries.
Offering consulting methodologies, advisory services, and 500+ premium marketing tools and templates, Demand Metric
resources and expertise help the marketing community plan more efficiently and effectively, answer the difficult questions about
their work with authority and conviction and complete marketing projects more quickly and with greater confidence, boosting the
respect of the marketing team and making it easier to justify resources the team needs to succeed.
To learn more about Demand Metric, please visit: www.demandmetric.com.
30
31. APPENDIX – SURVEY BACKGROUND
This 2015 Video Content Marketing Metrics Benchmark Study survey was administered online during the period of July 6
through September 6, 2015. During this period, 207 responses were collected, 174 of which were complete enough for inclusion
in the analysis. The representativeness of these results depends on the similarity of the sample to environments in which this
survey data is used for comparison or guidance.
Summarized below is the basic categorization data collected about respondents to enable filtering and analysis of the data:
Annual Sales:
$10 million or less (50%)
$11 to $25 million (10%)
$26 to $100 million (16%)
$101 to $500 million (9%)
$501 million to $1 billion (7%)
Over $1 billion (8%)
Type of Organization:
Mostly or entirely B2B (49%)
Mostly or entirely B2C (11%)
Blend of B2B/B2C (31%)
Agency or Studio (9%)
Primary Role of Respondent:
President, CEO or Owner (31%)
Marketing (55%)
Sales (4%)
Other (10%)
Revenue Growth (in most recent fiscal year):
Significant increase (17%)
Modest increase (56%)
Flat (21%)
Modest decline (5%)
Significant decline (1%)