• by Les Luchter , August 23, 2024

Here’s some video engagement research from an unexpected source: the American Psychological Association (APA).

Swiping through online videos to relieve boredom actually makes people more bored and less satisfied or engaged with the content, according to “Fast-Forward to Boredom: How Switching Behavior on Digital Media Makes People More Bored,” a University of Toronto study just published in the APA’s Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

Participants in the  study predicted that switching from one online video to another while bored would make users feel less bored than if they watched them in their entirety. Instead, what the report calls “digital switching” -- watching short snippets of videos or fast-forwarding through them -- increased their boredom.

“We found that boredom drives viewers to fast-forward or switch videos," lead study author Katy Tam, Ph.D., explains to Marketing Daily via email.  “However, it’s important to recognize that sometimes viewers feel bored because of how [emphasis added] they consume videos, not just because of the content itself. Our research shows that switching behaviors can increase feelings of boredom, regardless of the content.”

“While this study was small and concentrated on user satisfaction of content based on user controls, it raises new questions for media practitioners as we continue our focus on breaking through to audiences that both are fragmented in where they spend their time and how divided their attention is with multiscreening,”Ray Rosti, president of Klick Media, tells Marketing Daily.

Some of those questions, Rosti says, include:

-- “In an environment where the user has control and may be bored, does brand perception change when an ad is served during these moments? Or does relevancy and attention-grabbing creative disrupt that pattern of boredom and unhappiness?

-- Are non-skippable environments more valuable, not only because of captured attention, but also because of perceived mood?

-- Does length of time in platform or specific moments of engagement change a user’s perception -- meaning, if we reach them in the first five minutes, will we reach a happier viewer?"

Rosti adds, “In skippable environments where users have control to move forward, we strive to create thumb-stopping moments through creative messaging and relevancy in delivery."

“To minimize viewer scrolling and swiping, marketers should focus on creating content that captivates attention early and sustains engagement throughout the video,” the video investment team at CMI Media Group tells Marketing Daily “Start by making the first few seconds of the video compelling, using strong visual and emotional hooks that resonate with your target audience. Incorporate storytelling elements that encourage viewers to stay invested, aligning the content with their values and needs.”

For pharmaceutical advertisers in particular, the team continues, “it's crucial to ensure that the content is not only informative but also emotionally engaging, addressing the viewer's concerns or aspirations. Additionally, integrating interactive elements, such as clickable CTAs or personalized messages, can enhance viewer involvement and reduce the likelihood of swiping away. Ultimately, the goal is to create meaningful, immersive experiences that keep viewers engaged and reduce the impulse to scroll or swipe.” 

The research involved more than 1,200 participants, both from the U.S. and from the student population of the University of Toronto.