Video advertising technology provider Extreme Reach has released its Q2 2018 Video Advertising Benchmarks Report. The study includes data on clickthrough, completion and viewability rates as well as bot traffic and time spent by device used, including desktop, mobile, tablet and connected television (CTV). It also examines breakdowns of success factors according to purchase method (i.e., premium media vendor versus media aggregator). Extreme Reach projects that brands will continue to invest in premium inventory, which drives higher viewability and engagement rates while providing more assurance of brand safety.

For the second quarter in a row, Video Completion Rates (VCR) are on the rise across nearly every device type and ad length. The biggest gains were seen across premium inventory, where 92 per cent of video ads played in their entirety, an increase of 16 per cent over Q2 2017. Video Completion Rates for ads served to premium publishers in Q2 2018 were 37 per cent higher than through aggregators. Additionally, this is an area where CTV demonstrates a significant edge, reaching a 97 per cent completion rate across premium inventory in Q2 2018 versus 87 per cent for other devices serving impressions on premium publisher sites.

With a 111 per cent increase over Q2 2017 and a 23 per cent increase over Q1 2018, CTV was, for the first time, the top performer in the per centage of video impressions served by Extreme Reach. Largely driven by consumers’ cable ‘cord-cutting’ in favour of platforms like Roku, as well services such as Netflix and Hulu, CTV accounted for 38 per cent of all video ad impressions in Q2. Mobile comprised 30 per cent of overall impressions, down from 33 per cent in Q1.

Desktop and tablets both experienced the fifth straight quarter of decline, clearly signaling that these platforms no longer have the eye of most consumers. In fact, desktop accounted for 23 per cent of impressions, or less than half its 52 per cent average share for the full year in 2015. Tablets now account for just 9 per cent of video impressions, down from a high of 25 per cent in both Q2 and Q3 2016. 6-second ads also showed big gains, with completion rates averaging 82 per cent, an increase of almost 11 per cent from the previous quarter.

“Just when we think we’ve reached the stability that comes with maturation, the rapidly-evolving digital landscape brings us more exciting developments,” said Mary Vestewig, senior director, video account management at Extreme Reach. “This quarter, reveals the amazing opportunity in CTV, (which) is clearly on the path to becoming the dominant platform for media consumption, and premium inventory is the most sure-fire audience draw. Soon, I’m sure we’ll see more moves like Roku’s new ad marketplace, as these platforms prove a viable means of reaching audiences now fragmented across linear and OTT TV.”