The average click-through rate (CTR) for in-stream video ads in the US was 1.03% for the period spanning Q2 2011-Q1 2012, topping the benchmark rates for mobile banners (0.87%), rich media (0.15%), and standard banners (0.1%), according to an August 2012 report from MediaMind. The study also finds that 92.75% of in-stream video ad impressions were started, 82.43% of those were played half of the way through, and 74.78% were fully played. Despite in-stream video’s dominance in CTR, when breaking down rich media ads into different types, floating ads actually performed better, with a CTR of 1.24%. Floating ads also saw a dwell rate of 28.51% and user average dwell time of 3.11 seconds.
Dwell rate is described by the report as the number of impressions that were dwelled upon divided by the total amount of impressions, with dwell defined as an active engagement with an ad – including positioning the mouse over an ad, user-initiation of video, user-initiation of an expansion, and any other user-initiated Custom Interaction. The study excludes unintentional dwell, lasting less than 1 second. User average dwell time refers to the average duration of a dwell.
Aside from CTRs, completion rates are also important to consider when evaluating the performance of in-stream ads. In April, a report from Vindico argued that CTR is not the best metric for measuring online video ad success, finding that users who watched an online video ad show edgreater interest in brand pages than those who arrived at the page by click, making completion rates a better success metric than click-through rates (CTR).
Middle East In-Stream CTR Outstrips All Regions
Data from the “2012 MediaMind Global Benchmarks” indicates that on a regional basis, the Middle East saw the highest benchmark CTR for in-stream video ads, at 7.73%, ahead of Western Europe, at 2.35%. On a broader regional basis, the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region saw the highest benchmark CTR, at 4.52%, no doubt pulled up by the Middle East rate, followed by Southeast Asia (4.03%), and the Asia-Pacific (1.77%).
EMEA also sported the best mobile banner CTR (1.41%), this time pulled up by its Southern Europe (4.29%) and Western Europe (2.38%) components. Africa (0.22%) boasted the highest standard banner CTR, while Central Asia (0.5%) saw the best rich media CTR.
Electronics Tops All Verticals for In-Stream CTR
Meanwhile, examining 21 different verticals, the study finds that in terms of in-stream video ads, electronics took the lead with a CTR of 3.83%, with health and beauty (3.62%), retail (2.5%), telecom (2.23%), medical (2.12%), and CPG (2.09%) also performing well.
For in-stream video completion rates, the gaming vertical saw an impressive 96.33% fully-played rate, though its started rate was a low 42.74%. The medical and service verticals both saw start rates of almost 100% (99.96% and 99.97%, respectively). For some other verticals with high start rates, though – particularly the auto, corporate, and electronics verticals – completion rates (fully played) dropped to roughly 55-70%.
Other Findings:
- Benchmark CTRs for the B2B vertical were as follows: standard banner (0.11%); mobile banner (1.02%); rich media (0.11%); and in-stream (1.21%). For the CPG vertical, they were: standard banner (0.10%); mobile banner (0.93%); rich media (0.26%); and in-stream (2.09%). For the retail vertical, they were: standard banner (0.11%); mobile banner (0.92%); rich media (0.3%); and in-stream (2.5%).
- The apparel vertical had the highest standard banner CTR, of 0.13%, while the entertainment vertical had the highest rich media CTR, of 0.33%.
- Sports had easily the highest mobile banner CTR, of 2.13%.
- With an in-stream CTR of 8.68%, Turkey easily bested all other countries in this metric.
- China had the highest standard banner CTR, of 0.36%.
About the Data: The MediaMind report benchmarks ad performance across 4 regions, 21 verticals, and 49 countries.
