40 Percent Frustrated With Video Search

I’m generally suspicious of surveys that say things you’d expect them to say
by the company that commissioned them. In this case,
ClipBlast — a video search site —
sends word of a survey covering frustration with video search. Still, I’ll pass
along some stats and the press release, for what they’re worth.

The key question was "Things Liked Least About Video On The Web," asked of
1,000 Americans this month. The findings:

• 32 percent said web video had too many commercials
• 20.7 percent said difficult to find quality video productions
• 19.3 percent said difficult to find what they’re looking for
• 16 percent said too chaotic, too many videos to wade through
• 12 percent said there’s too much user generated content to wade through

ClipBlast is pushing a 40 percent "frustration" figure, adding together the
two stats about search frustration I noted above.

The release below plays up the need to have the right video search
technology. My Video
Search Challenge Isn’t Speech Recognition, It’s Content Owner Management
article from earlier this week pokes at some of the technology assumptions,
suggesting the challenge is more about making sure the right commercial content
can easily be found.

The stats can be read either way to support or dispute that. The biggest
problem in terms of finding wasn’t sorting through too much stuff but rather
locating the "quality" stuff. But then again, only 21 percent said that was the
biggest problem. Overall, I don’t think the survey asked the right questions (or
if it did, they aren’t in the release below), for me to draw big conclusions.
Here’s the release:

Video, video everywhere – and not a clip to link?

According to a new nationwide online survey conducted by market researcher
Synovate for ClipBlast! (www.clipblast.com),
the premier Internet-wide video-search platform, that’s where Americans find
themselves – awash in online video but all too often left high and dry when
looking for something specific. By a wide margin, Americans are having a tough
time locating the video that they want on the Web: fully 40 percent agree that
the quest for video online is "frustrating" or "inconsistent."

Conducted in February, the survey asked 1,000 Americans what single thing
they liked least about video on the Web. Four respondents in ten called the
process "frustrating – it’s too difficult for me to find exactly what I’m
looking for," or "inconsistent – it’s too tough to find quality video
productions." Another 32 percent described Web video as "too commercial –
there are too many video ads." While 16 percent agreed with the statement that
"it’s chaotic – there are too many videos to wade through," just 12 percent
complained about "too much user-generated content to wade through."

"Overall, while consumers have embraced online video, they’re concerned
about the frequently daunting process of locating the videos they want to
see," said Gary Baker, CEO, ClipBlast! "It’s a variation of the tree falling
in the forest. It’s easy to find video online, but finding the right video –
the video you want, when you want it – remains an obstacle for many. In fact,
video search is both different and more difficult than text-based search. The
lesson for our industry is that we must do a better job helping consumers
understand those differences, and in developing powerful tools that enable
consumers to search, browse and save the video content they care most about."

The survey results echo a report issued last year by Forrester analyst Josh
Bernoff, which noted, in part, "online video content is exploding at an
incredible rate… but finding what you want is hard."

Web Commercials, Anyone?

Americans aren’t having any problem finding video ads online — and some
are none too happy about that. Nearly 32 percent of respondents say there are
"too many video ads." The key 35-44 demographic (41 percent) is especially
concerned about the "commercial" nature of online video; those over 55 (27
percent) and 18-24 (28.5 percent) are relatively less troubled.

Ironically, according to Baker, Web video advertising is in its infancy, in
part because placing video ads is itself a challenge.

"Ultimately, advertising will win the day as the means for generating
revenue – the TV model will translate online, so paid access won’t be the
way," he said. A recent JupiterResearch report notes that interest in video
delivered over broadband is growing among consumers, but that strategies for
building a business around the Web-based content remain elusive. According to
Internet CacheLogic, by 2010 more people will turn to the Internet for video
content than all other distribution sources combined; today, video content
represents a full 60 percent of all traffic on the Internet.

Interestingly, while video sharing sites continue to expand at a rapid
clip, Americans don’t appear put off by the sheer number of clips to view;
just 16 percent agreed that "there are too many videos to wade through." Those
in the 45-54 age bracket were slightly more likely to regard the online video
environment as "chaotic" (20.5 percent).

What about homegrown video? Not surprisingly, given the popularity of
YouTube and MySpace, just 12 percent of the sample agreed that there’s "too
much user-generated content to wade through." While those over age 65 had a
relatively greater problem with user-generated content (17 percent), everyone
else is taking it in stride. Among those 18-24 — presumably at the center of
the user-generated movement — just 9.5 percent took issue with the
proliferation of homegrown clips, but those 55 to 64 were even more enamored
of user-generated video (with just 8.5 percent dissenting).

Searching for Patterns

The prevailing attitudes on video search cut across most demographic
groups, with a few notable variations:

• Among the 55-64 age group, that feeling of being a bit lost is even more
  acute – nearly 50 percent acknowledged frustration in searching for video on
  the Web or called the process of locating quality video online
  "inconsistent." Indeed, there’s concern at both ends of the age spectrum.
  Those 55-64 have the hardest time getting the video they’re seeking (29
  percent). And while those 18-24 have relatively less trouble finding what
  they’re looking for (12 percent), 30.5 percent of that group describes the
  process of finding quality online video as "inconsistent."
   
• The more affluent you are, the less likely it is that you’ll find the
  search process vexing. Those with household incomes of less than $25,000
  expressed the highest level of frustration (44 percent). For those with
  household incomes in excess of $75,000, that figure fell to 38 percent.
   
• Frustration levels are shared regardless of how much education you’ve
  had. While those with a high school education or less aren’t finding what
  they’re seeking (45 percent), neither are those who have had at least some
  graduate school (42.5 percent).

The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.