Three quarters (74%) of consumers say there is a connection between watching a video on social media and their purchasing decision-making process, according to new research.
The global study, commissioned by online video solutions provider, Brightcove. was conducted with 5,500 consumers in the UK, France, Germany, US and Australia, and published in Brightcove’s ‘The Science of Social Video: Turning Views into Value’ report.
It revealed that nearly half (46%) of viewers have actually made a purchase as a result of watching a branded video on social media and another third (32%) have considered doing so.
Further compelling insights for brands included:
● 81% of consumers currently interact with brands on social media – two fifths (43%) have done so through watching branded video
● Eight in ten (79%) agree that video is the easiest way to get to know a brand online
● When asked for their number one choice of branded content on social networks, video was the most popular answer (31%
The findings also highlighted the extent to which social video consumption has risen in recent months, resulting in a growing window of opportunity for brands to get in front of their audiences on social media.
The results showed that:
● Two thirds (67%) of respondents watch more video on social networks, like Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, than they did a year ago
● The average consumer now watches just under an hour (49 minutes) of social video every day
● 60% of viewers expect the amount of social video they watch to continue rising over the next year
David Mendels, CEO of Brightcove, explained: “In recent years a clear trend favoring video content on social media has emerged – especially as social giants like Facebook have moved to ensure video is prominent within the consumer news feed. We’re at a point now where the billions of daily views and millions of viewing hours represent a significant opportunity for brands striving to engage with their audiences online. But it’s not without its challenges.
“When it comes to successful online video there’s certainly no such thing as ‘one size fits all’. With so many social networks to be visible on, and each one having its own technology and culture, delivering the relevant, timely and tailored viewing experiences that consumers demand can be a complex task. Brands need to be able to quickly and easily serve, manage, measure and adapt their video content across the ever-evolving landscape of social networks – not to mention their owned and operated properties. ”
The research also shed light on broader social video viewing preferences – important considerations and insight for brands looking to succeed with their content:
● Half of social video views take place on YouTube, a third on Facebook (36%) and the remaining 14% is divided between social networks like Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram
● The top attributes looked for in branded social video were for content to be relevant to consumer interests (44%) and engaging (40%)
● Facebook is the social network on which consumers are most likely to ‘like’ (51%), share (44%) or comment on (32%) a good social video
● After watching a video on social media, consumers will ‘like’ it 47% of the time, share it 37% of the time and click through for more information 33% of the time
● 45% of people are more likely to tell friends and family about a brand after watching a good video by that brand on social media – and 76% of people are more likely to watch a social video if recommended by friends or family
Further findings from the research are detailed in the full report, which can be sent over on demand.
Brightcove’s social video product offering, Brightcove Social – designed to help organisations manage their native video presence across social networks and owned sites via one easy-to-use, central management and analytics platform – is also available to businesses today.