eMarketer reports that 46 percent of polled users refuse to watch more than 20 seconds of online video.

Among the 1,241 U.S. internet users polled by the OPA, 46 percent said that 20 seconds or less is all the online video ad time they are willing to watch. On the other side, 39 percent indicated that ads of 30 seconds or longer are all right with them. Clearly, time alone is not the only factor in willingness to watch-- the ad's topic or industry, the context in which it is shown (How intrusive? What's the trade-off?) and, most of all, the quality of the creative contribute greatly toward overcoming consumer resistance.

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