Why you should be using smart analysis to boost video views & user engagement
Video is king, and its consumption keeps on rising. It’s estimated that in 2020, the world’s mobile internet users will consume approx 300 billion gigabytes of mobile data in streaming and downloading video content.
Generating or acquiring high quality video is expensive. In our last blog post, we looked at why and how investing in video analysis leads to a strong content strategy, and discussed its importance for digital publishers when generating good ROIs on video.
Using Artificial Intelligence increases the quality, ability and sophistication of your video analysis. Furthermore, Artificial Intelligence can also be used to make decisions and execute in different ways, depending on what is needed, resulting in an even stronger content strategy and increased video profitability.
Quick Artificial Intelligence reminder: what do you mean when you say AI, or intelligent?
Intelligent, or “smart” analysis uses Artificial Intelligence (AI). The idea is to use machine learning and deep learning methods to train a computer to think the way a person can, literally mimicking human intelligence. Some examples of AI include machine vision, where a computer is able to “see”; pattern recognition; natural language processing (NLP), where a computer is able to understand human language; and audio recognition, the ability to convert sound to text.
What’s the point? The use of AI offers a range of different benefits. Once trained effectively, computers are able to recognise patterns that may not be identifiable by the human eye, and can function at a much larger scale. Furthermore, end-to-end processes can be fully automated – an AI could observe a certain pattern or situation and then make a series of decisions based on what it has observed. By using AI-based algorithms, you’re likely to save time, money and end up with a better result than you would have had you done the same job manually.
Got it, so tell me about intelligent video analysis
Smart/intelligent video analysis involves training an algorithm – or in most cases, a set of algorithms – to understand what’s happening inside a video. The computer can analyse all the different parts of the video (as outlined in our earlier blog post: content, sound, etc), and then make further decisions, depending on what outcome is needed.
Video analysis is and should be used by website publishers who are looking to optimize their content strategy, as well as increase video views and boost engagement on their sites. But it also has wide usage across multiple industries. For example, it’s often used in simulation-based training, like for surgery: a computer can identify situations where a surgeon has performed something incorrectly, and advise on what needs to be done differently. Likewise for coaching sports teams. Alternatively, in an autonomous vehicle, AI will use video analysis (in real-time!) in order to identify a potential collision or an obstacle in the road, say a pedestrian – and brake, with no driver intervention.
“Smart video analysis is and should be used by website publishers who are looking to optimize their content strategy, as well as increase video views and boost user engagement“
Using intelligent video analysis to boost video views
In Minute.ly’s case, we use intelligent video analysis to switch users on and direct them towards top quality video content – across any platform, medium or technological framework. Among other things, we look to optimize video views, engagement, click-through rates (CTR) and ad viewability. We need to make sure that the user experience is as enthralling as possible.
How? Our AI identifies the most captivating moments in a video. Then, automatically, it compiles them together into a short preview video that’s approximately 10 seconds long. We call these videos “Minute Magnets” (because they’re magnetizing… get it?). But remember we talked about AI being able to make multiple decisions? People consume content across multiple platforms and formats – on their phone and computers, through social media, search engines and websites, to name a few. Minute.ly’s AI identifies which end destination is needed and consequently adapts the Minute Magnets – according to the desired aspect ratio, or whether the content needs to be horizontal or vertical. All while preserving the most important part – the most engaging/captivating part of the video.
So there you have it – everything you need to know about smart video analysis
Intelligent video analysis can be incredibly useful for many applications and industries. For digital publishers, when the end goal is to boost engagement, the use of smart video analysis allows you to take action and optimize your content automatically and in a fully data-driven way. It’s important to remember that video analysis cannot make up for a lack of quality content creation, it can only help to improve strategy and content delivery.
Now you know a bit more about whether you might need smart video analytics. At Minute.ly, we use it to help you get the full potential out of your video content. Learn more about how we increase CTR, distribution and monetization opportunities.
