WebProNews

More marketers and advertisers will embrace online video in 2009, according to a new survey by PermissionTV.

The survey found that online video will be a top priority for digital marketing budgets and also indicated a strong preference among marketers for increased interactivity in online video capabilities to help promote their brands.

More than two-thirds of respondents (67%) identified online video as a main focus of their 2009 digital marketing campaigns, versus social media campaigns (41%), search (34%) and podcasts/webcasts (32%).

In the second quarter of next year, more than half (52%) expect to be implementing or extending an online video campaign. Currently 32 percent are doing so.

A majority of respondents (63%) are most likely to invest in a branded content/video destination next year. Viral video (39%) and interactive experiences (38%) follow as the second and third priority, while only 22 percent plan to invest in simple syndication.

A majority (71%) believes online video will help build brand awareness and 47 percent said it would drive lead generation while 44 percent said it would improve loyalty and 41 percent said it would convert customers.

"As corporate and brand marketers look to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of digital marketing initiatives, online video will play an increasingly critical role in all interactive campaigns," said Matt Kaplan, VP of Solutions and Chief Strategy Officer of PermissionTV.

"These survey results demonstrate the strategic importance of online video in the overall marketing mix, as well a growing requirement for more sophisticated video experiences."