business video goes live: in today’s enterprise five basic ... · overall, seven out of 10...

Business Video Goes Live: Five Basic Truths of Streaming in Today’s Enterprise

Copyright © 2012 Wainhouse Research, LLC Page

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WHITE PAPER

Business Video Goes Live:

Five Basic Truths of Streaming In Today’s Enterprise

Steve Vonder Haar

April, 2015

White Paper commissioned by:

Business Video Goes Live:

Five Basic Truths of Streaming in Today’s Enterprise

WHITE PAPER

Steve Vonder Haar

March 2015

Paper commissioned by:


Copyright © 2012 Wainhouse Research, LLC Page

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Contents

Streaming Technologies: The Linchpin of Live Enterprise Video ................................................................. 1

Live Streaming Truth #1: Adoption is Accelerating ....................................................................................... 2

Live Streaming Truth #2: Streaming Emerges as Part of a Bigger Story ...................................................... 3

Live Streaming Truth #3: Streaming Seen as Effective Communications Tool ............................................. 4

Live Streaming Truth #4: Live Video Events Draw a Crowd .......................................................................... 5

Live Streaming Truth #5: Live Sets the Foundation for Archives .................................................................. 6

Key Takeaways .............................................................................................................................................. 7

About the Author / About Wainhouse Research .......................................................................................... 8

List of Figures

Figure 1: Type of Streaming Video Seen as Most Useful in Enhancing Productivity at Work - Overall

Respondents ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Figure 2: Frequency of Personal Viewership of Live Streaming Video for Business - Overall Respondents -

2014 vs. 2013 ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Figure 3: Perceived Effectiveness of Streaming as a Business Communications Tool - Segmented by

Frequency of Live Streaming Video Viewership ........................................................................................... 4

Figure 4: Agree/Disagree: Live Streaming Video Attracts More Viewers than On-Demand Content -

Overall Respondents ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Figure 5: Source of On-Demand Content Archives - All Respondents at Companies Using On-Demand

Streaming ...................................................................................................................................................... 6

Figure 6: Proportion of Companies with Cumulative Content Archives of 100 or More Hours - Reported

by Frequency of Live Streaming Use ............................................................................................................. 6

Figure 7: Deployment / Interest in Streaming Platform Integration with Microsoft SharePoint -

Segmented by Frequency of Live Streaming Use ......................................................................................... 7

Wainhouse Research White Paper: Business Video Goes Live – Five Basic Truths of Streaming in Today’s Enterprise

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Copyright © 2015 Wainhouse Research, LLC Page 1

Streaming Technologies: The Linchpin of Live Enterprise Video

Streaming technologies are playing an increasingly important role in business communications. Webcast

events enabled by streaming platforms make it possible for executives to convey complex information

to large audiences on a cost-effective basis. Streaming solutions also make it possible for organizations

to capture, manage and extend the reach of content originating on video conferencing systems, web

collaboration services and other business communications venues.

But the single attribute that makes streaming video relevant in the corporate world is the technology’s

ability to enable live, one-to-many business communications. Simply put, streaming’s value in business

circles rests on its ability to expand the reach

of real-time executive communications. In a

survey of 1,201 executives conducted by

Wainhouse Research in the fourth quarter of

2014, 81% of respondents cited live video

(when compared with the on-demand

alternative) as the type of streaming video

most useful in enhancing work productivity.

(Figure 1)

The central role that “live” plays in the

business streaming realm is a direct contrast

to how streaming is perceived in the consumer

media space. From YouTube and Vimeo to Netflix and Hulu, consumer streaming is most commonly

associated with the practice of making libraries of pre-recorded content available to viewers on an

anytime, anywhere basis.

While this approach serves a sprawling audience for on-demand entertainment content and raises the

profile of streaming’s capability industry-wide, it falls short of the productive impact that live streaming

video can have when deployed behind the corporate firewall. From a viewer’s perspective, a single

training video that provides the information needed to close a big deal or solve a major operational

issue can be worth far more than being able to access a Hollywood movie online. Even if streaming only

makes it possible for an employee to forego business travel and its inherent costs, organizations can

recognize thousands of dollars in cost savings from a single use.

So, while on-demand consumer applications may generate high-profile industry buzz and significant

viewership, it’s the live streaming applications that move the needle in business. In this white paper, we

review five of the basic truths of streaming in today’s enterprise, spelling out how – and why – a growing

number of organizations are leveraging live streaming video to build business benefit.

Figure 1: Type of Streaming Video Seen as Most Useful in Enhancing Productivity at Work - Overall Respondents

Figure 2: Frequency of Personal Viewership of Live Streaming Video for Business - Overall Respondents - 2014 vs. 2013Figure 3: Type of Streaming Video Seen as Most Useful in Enhancing Productivity at

Work - Overall Respondents

Figure 4: Frequency of Personal Viewership of Live Streaming Video for Business - Overall Respondents - 2014 vs. 2013

Figure 4: Perceived Effectiveness of Streaming as a Business Communications Tool - Segmented by Frequency of Live Streaming

Video ViewershipFigure 5: Frequency of Personal Viewership of Live Streaming Video for Business - Overall Respondents - 2014 vs. 2013Figure 6: Type of Streaming Video Seen as Most Useful in

Enhancing Productivity at Work - Overall Respondents

Figure 7: Frequency of Personal Viewership of Live Streaming Video for Business - Overall Respondents - 2014 vs. 2013Figure 8: Type of Streaming Video Seen as Most Useful in Enhancing Productivity at

Work - Overall Respondents



Live Streaming Truth #1: Adoption is Accelerating

Viewership of live streaming video is becoming more commonplace in the enterprise. As the

technologies that enable live video streaming grow more reliable and cost-effective, the number of

executives using the technology frequently continues to grow. In the Wainhouse Research 2014 survey,

32% of executive respondents reported that they view live streaming video for work applications at least

daily. In a similar survey fielded the prior year – in the fourth quarter of 2013 – only 20% of respondents

reported daily viewership of live streaming video. (Figure 2)

Overall, seven out of 10 respondents to the 2014 survey said they have experienced live streaming video

at work. That compares with a cumulative viewership total of 59% reported in the 2013 survey.

The growing momentum in live streaming video viewership merely sets the stage for even more

extensive adoption of the technology over time. Historically, the greatest gains in viewership and

investment in streaming technologies come from those who already use live video extensively. In short,

live video viewership begets even more streaming usage.

In the 2014 survey, Wainhouse Research asked respondents to agree or disagree with the following

statement: “My organization should do more to capitalize on currently available video technologies to

enhance communications.” Among those who watch live streaming video at work daily, 62% say they

“strongly agree” with the idea of using video more extensively. For those who watch live streaming less

than monthly, in contrast, only 16% say they “strongly agree” with the idea of expanded video adoption.

As the number of those experiencing live streaming video on a frequent basis grows, it should be

expected that the pool of executives willing to embrace even further expanded adoption of these video

capabilities will grow in step. The gap in streaming usage between those that recognize the value of live

video and those that have yet to experience the technology in action will only grow wider over time.


Figure 4: Perceived Effectiveness of Streaming as a Business Communications Tool - Segmented by Frequency of Live Streaming Video ViewershipFigure 21: Frequency of Personal Viewership of Live Streaming Video for Business - Overall

Respondents - 2014 vs. 2013









Live Streaming Truth #2: Streaming Emerges as Part of a Bigger Story

Once upon a time, streaming platforms largely existed on their own stand-alone islands within the

enterprise. The technology was associated primarily with enabling webcasts combining audio, video,

PowerPoint slides and other presentation applications in a single user interface optimized for one-to-

many distribution. The notion of weaving streaming capabilities with other commonly used business

technology platforms was rarely considered, let alone possible.

In today’s market, the role of streaming is expanding. Technology platforms designed to capture,

manage and distribute streaming content are being used for more than basic webcasting. Corporate

demand is growing for streaming solutions that can easily integrate with existing communications

technologies and corporate content and network infrastructures. Increasingly, organizations are looking

for ways to extend the reach of traditional video conferencing, web collaboration and unified

communications solutions. And streaming

platforms are emerging as a vehicle for

capturing and converting content originating

from these platforms to enable its distribution

to an array of desktop computers and mobile

devices.

As would be expected, organizations that

employ live streaming most extensively today

are those demonstrating the greatest interest

in streaming integration with established

business communications platforms. Consider,

for instance, the possibility of integrating

streaming solutions with Microsoft’s

SharePoint application. At organizations that

use live video 100 or more times annually, 32% say that they have already deployed streaming platforms

that can integrate with SharePoint. Another 42% of these active users of live streaming say they are

“very interested” in integrating their streaming solutions with SharePoint. (Figure 3)

This demand for SharePoint integration wanes as an organization’s adoption of streaming declines.

Among organizations that use live streaming between one and nine times annually, for instance, only

14% have integrated streaming solutions with SharePoint, with another 23% saying they are “very

interested” in that type of technology combination.

Executives responsible for charting an organization’s long-term communications technology strategy

must be aware of the shifting role of live streaming video in the enterprise. Even if streaming integration

is not a front-burner issue for an organization now, decision makers must expect – and plan accordingly

– that demands for streaming integration will only grow as executives become more familiar with

streaming-enriched communications.

Figure 3: Deployment / Interest in Streaming Platform Integration with Microsoft SharePoint -

Segmented by Frequency of Live Streaming Use


Video Viewership


Video ViewershipFigure 3: Deployment / Interest in Streaming Platform Integration with Microsoft SharePoint - Segmented by Frequency of Live Streaming Use


Video Viewership


Video Viewership



In making this evaluation, executives also must be aware that not all streaming integration solutions are

created equal. Some software offerings, for instance, can claim integration with SharePoint while only

providing barebones features to a limited set of users. Others weave meaningful streaming applications

into the SharePoint platform for a broader audience.

Executives can future-proof their streaming investments – in part - by selecting solutions that already

demonstrate the capability to be embedded deeply into SharePoint, video conferencing systems, web

conferencing services and other communications platforms already extensively used by their

organization. And while this white paper so far has focused primarily on “live streaming,” executives

must also recognize that streaming integrations ultimately will be graded on their ability to support both

“live” and “on-demand” content generated via existing communications venues in the enterprise.

Live Streaming Truth #3: Streaming Seen as Effective Communications Tool

When it comes to live streaming in the enterprise, seeing is believing. Executives who use the

technology frequently are far more likely to describe streaming video as an effective communications

tool than are those who engage with the technology on an infrequent basis.

Among survey respondents who report daily viewership of live streaming video for business purposes,

81% say they view streaming video as a “very effective” business communications tool. Another 17% of

this high-frequency group describe the technology as “somewhat effective.” In comparison, among

those who use live streaming on a weekly basis, 50% describe it as “very effective.”

Indeed, perceptions of streaming’s

effectiveness continue to decline in

step with an end user’s viewership

frequency. Among those who watch

live streaming video less than monthly,

only 24% describe streaming video as a

“very effective” business

communications tool. (Figure 4) And

among those who use no live

streaming at all, barely one in 10

respondents rate the technology as

“very effective.”

Wainhouse Research believes that

these frequency-driven shifts in

perceived effectiveness are directly

related to how executives use the technology. Infrequent users may only experience live streaming

video via a single application. As a result, they view streaming within the context of accomplishing a very

Figure 4: Perceived Effectiveness of Streaming as a Business Communications Tool - Segmented by Frequency of Live Streaming Video Viewership





specific task. Only 11% of respondents in this low-frequency category, for instance, say they have

experienced employee training sessions incorporating live streaming video.

Frequent users of live streaming, in contrast, are more likely to employ the technology in multiple ways.

More than 90% of daily streaming viewers say that – at some point - they have experienced live

streaming integrated not only in training sessions but also in executive presentations, marketing

presentations, customer support and other applications.

Such high penetration rates across application categories suggest that frequent viewers regularly

employ live streaming in more than one way. In the eyes of executives who use streaming frequently,

the technology no longer is a one-trick pony used to address a specific task. Rather, it evolves into a full-

fledged communications tool that executives can employ to address a range of business needs.

Live Streaming Truth #4: Live Video Events Draw a Crowd

Nothing replaces the immediacy of delivering a message in real-time. At their best, live webcasts prove

to be a viable venue for executives seeking to deliver their message to as large of an audience as

possible. Exactly half of survey respondents “strongly agree” with the statement that “live video attracts

more viewers than on-demand

content.” Another 42% say

they “somewhat agree” with

the concept. Taken together,

that means that more than

nine out of ten executives

surveyed say they believe live

video draws larger audiences

than on-demand video

alternatives. (Figure 5)

Leveraging live streaming video

to broaden viewership matters

whether an executive is

delivering a message to

internal or external audiences.

When used for internal

communications, live presentations with broad reach give executives the opportunity to disseminate

their message to a large audience, maximizing their opportunities for employees and other stakeholders

to hear key messages directly from organization leaders. In outbound marketing communications, live

streaming video can boost the number of prospects and existing customers willing to engage with an

organization’s marketing event, such as an online product launch.

Figure 5: Agree/Disagree: Live Streaming Video Attracts More Viewers than On-Demand Content-Overall Respondents

Figure 28: Agree/Disagree: Live Streaming Video Attracts More Viewers than On-Demand Content - Overall Respondents



Such online outreach is important to organizations already engaged in the deployment of live streaming

video events. At companies that use live streaming video in more than 100 online events annually, 65%

say that “enhancing brand image” is a “very important” factor in measuring the benefit of streaming

video used for outbound communications. That makes “enhancing brand image” – in the eyes of survey

respondents, at least – a more highly valued external communications objective than “improving

customer support” or “communicating with channel / partners.”

And those companies that use live video now demonstrate significant interest in employing the

technology for other forms of marketing outreach. Among the organizations surveyed that now use live

video technologies, for instance, 78% report plans to boost the amount of streaming video content they

make available on their corporate web site. At organizations that do not use live video today, only 27%

report plans for incorporating more video on their corporate web site in 2015.

Live Streaming Truth #5: Live Sets the Foundation for Archives

While live streaming video is better suited to drawing audiences than on-demand content, archives of

business video can still play a vital role in an organization’s larger communications strategy. By enabling

access to online video that can be watched by users any time on virtually any device, organizations

create a content vehicle that allows executives to time-shift their viewership of business video. In the

process, they create a library of content that

allows organizations to better preserve

institutional knowledge.

And, for many organizations, building these

archives of business video would not be

possible without the ability to create and

distribute live streaming video events.

Indeed, 98% of organizations that archive

video content say that at least part of their

content archives come from the capture of

live streaming video events re-purposed for

on-demand distribution. Overall, 31% of

organizations with streaming archives say their entire library consists of content originating as live

events captured for on-demand replay. And more than four out of five with streaming archives report

that at least half of their library content is made up of recorded live events. (Figure 6)

This correlation between live and on-demand content has developed despite the technical challenges

that come with repurposing live content for on-demand use. In the past, some streaming platforms took

up to a full day to transcode video from a live online event into a file that could be posted for on-

demand access. Such a lag in posting particularly diminishes the replay value of high-profile

presentations, such as product launches and all-hands employee meetings. Viewers desire to see such

Figure 6: Source of On-Demand Content Archives - All Respondents at Companies Using On-Demand Streaming



timely presentations on a “near-real time” basis, and the inability to access on-demand capability cuts

into the size of the audience viewing the presentation.

Despite this technical roadblock, the production of live streaming events appears to actually help boost

the size of the largest repositories of on-demand streaming content. Organizations that use live video

extensively also tend to build the largest content archives. At organizations producing 100 or more live

streaming events annually, 32% have archives with at least 100 hours of on-demand content. In

contrast, among companies that do not use live streaming, only 6% report developing archives with

more than 100 hours of content. (Figure 7)

The survey results suggest a correlation between

corporate adoption of live and on-demand streaming

adoption. Neither type of streaming exists in a vacuum.

Rather, companies that use live video extensively are

likely to have need for a first-class solution for

managing on-demand content, as well. Still, real-world

technical challenges remain in blending live and on-

demand capabilities, and executives must be aware of

limitations that exist in today’s market. Some existing

communications solutions, such as web conferencing

services, have yet to offer viable options for easily

accessing and presenting content captured from their collaboration platforms. Additionally, sifting

through captured content to find the right piece of video can be difficult, particularly as the size of

archived content increases. Organizations must select solutions with strong search capabilities in order

to make content easier to retrieve. Without the ability to access the right piece of video when needed,

the content’s value for use in business applications is severely limited.

Key Takeaways

All roads to implementing a successful corporate streaming strategy trace a path back to the

deployment of solutions that enable live video management and distribution on a one-to-many basis.

Unlike the consumer media space, business users demonstrate a clear preference for viewing content

on a real-time basis. As executives use the technology more extensively, they come to better recognize

its effectiveness as a communications tool and the role it can play in enhancing corporate outreach.

Expanded adoption of live streaming also appears to correlate strongly with other initiatives to boost

the role of online video in business communications, including the development of on-demand video

archives and the integration of streaming capabilities into widely adopted enterprise communications

platforms. Organizations should look upon the implementation of live streaming solutions as a first step

in a journey that aims to build competitive advantage through the more effective use of video-enriched

communications.

Figure 7: Proportion of Companies with Cumulative Content Archives of 100 or More Hours - Reported by

Frequency of Live Streaming Use



About the Author / About Wainhouse Research

Steve Vonder Haar is a Senior Analyst with Wainhouse Research, focusing on enterprise streaming &

webcasting. Steve has covered the technology industry for more than 20 years. He previously served as

Research Director of Interactive Media Strategies and as Director of Media and Entertainment Strategies

for the Yankee Group. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri Columbia with degrees in Journalism

and Economics, and holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas-

Arlington. He can be reached at [email protected]

About Wainhouse Research: Wainhouse Research is an independent analyst firm that focuses on

critical issues in the unified communications and collaboration market. The company provides 6 different

vendor subscriptions covering unified communications, group videoconferencing, personal & web-based

collaboration, audio conferencing, streaming & webcasting, and distance education & e-Learning

solutions, as well as a single all-inclusive subscription for enterprise users. The company acts as a

trusted advisor providing strategic advice and direction for both the UC&C industry and its enterprise

users. For further details contact [email protected] or see http://www.wainhouse.com.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.wainhouse.com/

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