Three-quarters of online video viewers watch more video than they did a year ago, and more than one-half expect to watch even more next year, according to a study conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres and sponsored by AOL and Google.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they preferred keeping ads on video Websites if it meant that content remained free.

"This study confirms that consumers accept video advertising in exchange for a free viewing experience, which is good news for advertisers," said David Klein, vice president of TNS, in a statement. "As with advertising across all media, if the video advertising is relevant it can contribute to and enhance an engaging media experience, not impair it."

More than three-quarters of respondents said that online video ads were as good as television for learning about advertisers. More than six in 10 respondents said they had taken some action after seeing an online video ad.

More than one-third of online video viewers surveyed by the Online Publishers Association in 2006 said they had searched for more information on an advertiser, clicked a link or visited a Website after having seen an online video ad.

The OPA survey, conducted a year and a half ago, considered those who watched online video at least monthly to be moderate users and those who watched less than once a month to be light users. Those light users would not have been captured in the TNS survey.

Short-form videos remain the most popular with viewers. About six in 10 online video viewers had watched comedy and news clips in the past month. Less than one-quarter of respondents had watched a full-length movie online in the previous 30 days.

The eMarketer Internet Video Advertising report will be published in December 2007. Please click here to be notified when it is released.