A recent study by KnowledgeBase, covering a panel of over 600 members, pointed to some key if surprising statistics on how the public is finding streaming content. Verbal word-of-mouth ranked #1 for online viewers’ discovery of new videos.
These statistics highlight a potential problem for social media marketing programs designed to create a large base of users and to market new video content. Social media communications from family and social media communication from others ranked last in terms of online viewers as well.
Family communications came at 20%, while social media from others like companies came in at 16% in the discovery of new content. Verbal word-of-mouth for discovery of new video content comes in at 41%, doubling both social media views.
This may not be the downfall of social media marketing, but it highlights and overemphasis on certain marketing strategies companies are using for streaming content. Word-of-mouth referrals come in first for both discovery of streaming content and decisions at time of viewing. However, TV ads rank 2nd at 24% for discovery of new content while 19% in decisions at times of viewing, both higher than social media from friends and others.
So, TV may not be gone for marketing web content, especially streaming content. It’s still a viable strategy according to this study by KnowledgeBase. TV ads are surprisingly the masters of discovery of new content for videos as well, with 46% for both TV and online videos advertising response rates.
And while word-of mouth-referral is the clear winner for web viewers, that includes social media marketing in many cases.
As viewers become more accustomed to streaming content on the web and the marketing of it, the numbers may alter and show improvement.
For video content marketing, putting your whole budget into social media marketing may be too soon.
Originally posted on Social Email Marketing and moved as part of a topical integration of our blogs.
