Interactive Video Marketing

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As corporate and brand marketers look to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of digital marketing initiatives, online video will play an increasingly critical role in all interactive campaigns. Advertising, marketing and media executives will increasingly migrate from a planning and experimentation phase to significantly increase implementation of their online video initiatives in 2009, according to of a recent survey of more than 400 senior-level decision makers. The survey, conducted by PermissionTV, identified online video as the top priority for digital marketing budgets, and also demonstrated a strong preference among marketers for increased sophistication and interactivity in online video capabilities to help promote their brands.

* 67% identified online video as a primary focus of their 2009 digital marketing campaigns, versus social media campaigns (41%), search (34%) and podcasts/webcasts (32%).

* In Q2 of 2009, 52% of respondents expect to be implementing or extending an online video project, whereas currently 32% are doing so.

* Nearly 60% of respondents consider interactive video experiences to be the next evolution for online video. Also, 62% believe that non-linear, interactive storytelling will become the most effective medium for marketers. Links to other videos is the most widely needed interactive capabilities for respondents, followed by graphic overlays, user comments and user-defined contents paths.

* Respondents expect their 2009 digital marketing efforts (33%) to be least affected by budget cuts, followed by traditional marketing (24%), tradeshows (21%) and guerilla marketing (14%).

* 63% are most likely to invest in a branded content/video destination next year. o Viral video (39%) and interactive experiences (38%) follow as the second and third priority, while only 22% plan to invest in simple syndication.

* When asked how online video will enhance customer engagement, a vast majority (71%) stated it would help build brand awareness.

* Driving lead generation was the second largest objective (47%), followed by enhancing loyalty/retention programs (44%) and converting customers (41%).

* 64% of respondents reported that strengthening relationships with existing customers and/or prospects is the primary goal of online video initiatives.

* When focusing on respondents from the traditional and digital/interactive advertising agencies, more than 90% are overwhelmingly confident in their ability to recommend online video initiatives to clients.

* Digital/interactive agencies expressed more confidence in recommending online video to clients compared to traditional agencies; however, traditional agencies claim more responsibility for driving online video initiatives than digital/interactive agencies.