STUDY REVEALS: Pre-Roll Video Ads Are More Than Twice As Effective As Banner Ads

This post is sponsored by YuMe.

When you're out walking the dog, you might stream video on your phone. On your lunch break, maybe you'll check out the online sales on your tablet, and then purchase those items later on your laptop at home.

YuMe conducted a study with U.K.-based research company Decipher on how people use their devices. Their conclusion: We love to consume media, but it's not the device that decides how we spend our online time. Instead, it's the environment and context of where we are, and what we need from our devices.

Read the results of YuMe's research and you'll come across some surprising findings, such as one that shows people use smartphones quite a bit at home, even though they can "lean back" with nearby larger screens. Also be sure to check out YuMe's infographic that gives a top-line explanation of most of their conclusions.

Below are just a few ways people use their devices (and how ad-buyers can capitalize):

1. It's about where we are and how we're feeling. If we're in a public place, we might opt for a smartphone instead of a tablet, to give us more privacy.

2. We're "device agnostic." It's not the screen - it's the content. That means, to watch a video, we'll use any device that's handy. The only difference? We might not spend as much time watching a consuming media on our smartphone.

3. We spend our money at home. The reason is obvious. At home, we can relax while carefully considering our purchases. We can also take advantage of Wi-Fi and watch video without having to worry about security and prying eyes. Survey subjects for the YuMe study said they were wary of what sites they viewed in public - and they didn't want to pull out their credit cards in public, either.

4. Maybe it's time to re-think your advertising plan. Potential advertisers shouldn't separate their media plans by screen type. After all, the consumer isn't doing it. Advertisers should also know that "pre-roll" ads (those short commercials that precede the video) are effective - 2.5 times more effective than banner ads.

Here's a small section taken from YuMe's helpful infographic. Download the full infographic here.

To read more of YuMe's research studies, go here.

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