In the U.S. today, 108 million people are going to watch 1.3 billion videos. At least that’s what Brian Hayes of comScore told us in his 2011 MIMA Summit presentation. While that number initially blew me away, it makes sense in the current context of things.

Social and entertainment sites are still in full swing, undergoing exponential growth and for the first time ever, causing users to spend more time online than portals. YouTube integrates so seamlessly with social media channels that it’s actually considered the second-largest search engine in the world today. Clearly, consumers are infatuated with video. Websites that incorporate video report higher conversion rates and fewer abandoned shopping carts compared to sites without, and companies with big ticket products move more of it when it’s accompanied by a product demonstration video. Incorporating video is only half the battle though; you need to help consumers find it.

So how do we make this part of our strategy?

Consider the purchase cycle. At some stage, a search engine is likely involved. How can you refine your SEO campaign to direct people to your video? If you already use YouTube to host content, the good news is that your video will be organically ranked–so use the keywords your customers are searching for! Similar to a PPC campaign, YouTube also offers a “promoted video” option that will also contribute to your video campaign’s natural results in the long-run.

It will only be a matter of time before video integration becomes an essential part of the online experience. Engagement value is going to drive online advertising and provide more opportunities for us to not only reach once-elusive audiences, but also engage them with our brands, products and services in new ways.

How do you think video will continue to shape the online experience?