Before starting my post on the Web Analytics World Blog, I would like to thanks Manoj for inviting me to contribute! Let me present myself; I’m the CEO of Streametrics: a new generation of metrics for online video. My partners and I are bringing strong background of expertise in Web analytics, video streaming and Internet TV. We love what we’re doing and we’re here to help the online video industry grow!
A new generation of Web analytics or what we should call “online video metrics” is emerging in a growing space! Do not fall into the trap of searching for “video analytics” in Google! You might find solutions out of context related to camera i.e. Intelligent Video Surveillance 😉
We, at Streametrics believe that online video requires new key performance indicators (KPI) to measure and analyze how video content is consumed. Before thinking of measuring video content and trying to monetize it with video advertising models, or tempting to find the right model of video revenue sharing and royalties with producers and majors, we need to establish what is it that we need to measure! …Why?
Because it is the metrics, not just in terms of traffic but also in terms of engagement that give medias credibility to attract advertisers!
Because it is how people interact with video content that will help advertisers introduce new way of reaching the audience without impacting viewers experience!
Because numbers talk when it’s time to validate the deal!
Dear readers, we have to wake up! Online video metrics are now available to measure, analyze and monetize the success of online video content.
I still see a lot of video play lists with counters that show video views?!? This is the easy part and it is completely biased! Counters measure the page every time it’s loaded without necessarily counting if the video started!
What medias will need to know for understanding how video is consumed and probably what they will need to show to advertisers and producers is more than clicks on play! It’s all about engagement, consumption and how viewers interact with their content. Let me introduce you with new key performance indicators KPI:
- Number of viewers (visitor become viewer)
- Number of viewing sessions (visit become session)
- Number of video view (page view become video view)
- Number of video view per viewer
- Number of video view per session
- Total viewing time
- Average viewing time per video
- Average viewing time per viewer
- Viewing audience rate (% of viewers consuming what % of content)
- Number of connections (click on play), dropouts, completions and completion rate
From those new KPI, we can start building the new model into this passionate adventure of Online Video revolution!
Streametrics solution Vstat, can track online video content through its homemade player or requires a certain integration if the client wants to use its own player. For more information please visit http://www.streametrics.tv
Jacques Warren says
March 13, 2008 at 4:41 pmHi,
We’re definitely in need of measuring videos more and more. However, I must say that the KPIs you suggest resemble a lot the first ones we had in the behavioral analysis side years ago. They are rather high level, and not very actionable.
The main question I encounter from my clients when it comes to videos is plainly how watching them influence in any way the valuable actions managers expect (sales, registration, etc.).
How is your application able to connect video viewing with those other actions? Can it connect with another application such as Omniture?
Thanks
Loic Guillard says
March 14, 2008 at 9:51 amJacques,
Thank you for commenting on my post.
Online video metrics are totally different than Web analytics and are no more related to page views but time consumption. We still have to consider certain basic Web metrics but with a different approach. As you know Jacques, watching a video is completely different than reading a Web page. We don’t build a video play list as we build a tree for a Web site, as we want people to land on a certain page to make a precise action. Notion of path between videos and conversion are not the same because you are focused on one element during several minutes without interacting with other elements during watching a video.
That said in response to your questions Jacques, we have a different approach and our application Vstat will be able to connect video viewing to certain actions. But before that, we will need to connect online video publishers, producers and advertisers to help them develop a new monetization model.
Our application is still an independent solution. Omniture have announced March 5th, that they have added a new feature in their version 14 platform to track video on Web sites.
http://newteevee.com/2008/03/05/3-up-and-coming-video-analytics-startups
I am sure that online video will help conversions showing up products and salesperson and we will be there to measure the ROI!
Regards,
Loïc Guillard
Fabian Hagman says
May 17, 2008 at 2:33 amI’m writing a theasus on media files.
I’m searching the Internet for statistics for the most used video file format. Do you know any usefull links. Pls email fabian_hagman@hotmail.com
B reg/ Fabian
Anonymous says
October 25, 2008 at 1:16 pmHow are tracking ID’s placed in the video? Do you simply need to embed a tracking code in the .mov or .flv file?
Anonymous says
October 25, 2008 at 1:18 pmCould you please elaborate?