Internet media and market research firm Nielsen//NetRatings yesterday debuted VideoCensus, an online video measurement service.
The VideoCensus platform combines panel and census research methodologies with an end-to-end accounting of audience size, demographic composition, engagement and competitive activity.
“Massive consumer adoption of online video has brought with it a wealth of key strategic questions from our client community,” said Dave Osborn, director of Nielsen//NetRatings MegaPanel services, New York. “All these questions created a significant push for us to measure and present accurate, relevant and detailed reporting.”
The VideoCensus methodology uses the Nielsen//NetRatings platform NetRatings’ desktop meter and SiteCensus content-tagging technology to collect a census count of the viewing activity.
To facilitate the reporting, online video publishers, technology providers and networks attach a piece of NetRatings code to their video delivery platforms. Once enabled, this code lets the program analyzes the video data to measure viewer engagement with specific video channels, programs and clips.
Initial VideoCensus reports were released to clients in January and are available monthly. The next-generation release is due in October 2007.
“Each day seems to bring a flurry of new announcements related to online video like innovative distribution partnerships, more and more free video content becoming available online, and exciting and creative advertising opportunities being leveraged by major global brands,” Mr. Osborn said. “There’s no question that consumers will continue to engage with compelling video content delivered on demand through a very familiar platform: the Internet.”
