• by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, May 24, 2007

Nearly six in 10 Web users (59%) have watched online video ads, according to a new study by The Kelsey Group.

"YouTube has largely popularized the concept of watching short videos on a computer screen and has likewise familiarized consumers with the idea of watching short video ads," states the report. What's more, people aren't just watching ads, but the majority of those who view an ad also either visit a Web site or take some other action, according to Kelsey, which based its report on a survey. Of 296 respondents who had viewed a video ad, 43% said they then clicked on a Web site, while 22% requested more information, 18% went to a store, 15% made a purchase, 11% forwarded the video to a friend, 9% signed up for a product or trial and 3% ordered a subscription. Forty-five percent took no action.

Why are response rates relatively high? Kelsey surmises it's because people watch video on the Web while literally "leaning forward," with one hand on the mouse ready to click somewhere else. "Users who views ads during a television broadcast are often on their couches in 'lean back' mode and are thus unlikely to immediately respond in any meaningful way beyond making a mental note. Users watching video on their PCs are conversely in 'lean forward' mode and are likely engaged in a search process to find a product or service," states the report.

But the report shouldn't necessarily be seen as an endorsement of the repurposed TV ads that currently precede many online videos. To the contrary, Kelsey specifically said that one of the benefits of online video ads was that marketers could experiment with formats that were more creative than the traditional 30-second television spot.