Advertising on YouTube, delivered through Google Ads, is a way to promote your video content on YouTube or in search results so you can grow your audience. This can be your video playing before a user views another video, or appearing in YouTube search results for viewers to see in full.
In addition, Google has also updated YouTube's data attribution model to better measure how users interact with its ads. You can also set CPC and view YouTube ad performance and referral reports for search and shopping ads.
Likewise, advertising on YouTube is very different than running a PPC or paid campaign on social media. There are plenty of options out there for this platform, and you need some basic knowledge before exploring your next video project to make the most of the paid possibilities. In recent years, Google has made a series of changes that have made advertising on YouTube a very profitable investment.
Types of ads on YouTube
When you think of "YouTube ads", you probably think of skippable 30-second in-stream ads. But, there are different ad formats on YouTube for different goals, and of course, they are always changing. There are currently six ad formats on YouTube.
TrueView In-Stream Ads:
TrueView ads are the standard YouTube video ad type. Advertisers pay for TrueView ads only when viewers view or interact with their ads (for example, by clicking a call-to-action), and videos can be easily customized for sharing on a variety of assets. Advertisers only pay when the user views the ad for at least 30 seconds or until the end of the video, or if the user takes an action, such as clicking a call-to-action.
YouTube requires that skippable TrueView ads be between 12 seconds and 6 minutes in length. TrueView in-stream ads appear before someone watches your YouTube video. Sometimes viewers have the option to skip an ad after watching it for five seconds. You can also play it anywhere on the Google Display Network (GDN) or on sites that have purchased Google video ad space.
TrueView Discovery Announcement:
TrueView Discovery ads appear in YouTube search results and on the right sidebar of the watch page, above the list of suggested videos. These ads include a thumbnail image and up to three lines of text.
Non-skippable in-stream ads:
Non-skippable in-stream ads are basically the same as TrueView in-stream ads, except you guessed it, viewers can't skip them. Since viewers have less control over these ads, they are not considered "TrueView." It is well known that non-skippable ads are rare.
In fact, YouTube removed the 30-second non-skippable ad format. Today, non-skippable ads need to be between 15 and 20 seconds long.
Unlike TrueView ads, advertisers pay for non-skippable YouTube ads based on CPM. “CPM” stands for cost per thousand, which means that advertisers pay for every thousand views. Therefore, it's especially important to improve your ad targeting so that your ad budget isn't wasted on bad leads.
Bumpers:
This is the shortest type of YouTube video ads available to you. With just six seconds per ad buffer, these ad slots run before the video selected by internet users. This one can't jump either.
Obviously, video ads can tell a good enough story in just six seconds. But they're a great complement to larger video campaigns, like a new event or product launch. Just make sure you use six seconds wisely and include only those elements of your brand that you want your audience to remember.
Overlay Ads:
This type of advertisement is located at the bottom of the video. This type of advertising is great to complement your other live video campaigns. Banner ads are a great way to avoid intrusively advertising your products.
Display Ads:
Image ads are another easy form of advertising on YouTube. These ads have been around for a while and appear in the right sidebar above the list of suggested videos. These ads can also be displayed in different sizes.
Tips for your ads
Use custom thumbnails:
Design or use a high-quality still image of your video to entice viewers to click on your video. Remember that this image must be readable by users on different devices, including mobile devices. If your photo has a person in it, make sure they are facing the camera. If you're displaying a product, make sure the background isn't distracting.
Add interactive elements:
Another tip from YouTube is to add interactive elements like calls to action to your ads. It gives viewers an action to take so they don't get intentionally confused. Whether they subscribe to your channel, sign up for a webinar, or visit your website to buy something from you, giving people the direction and purpose of your ad is always a challenge. Good opinion.
Viewer Rating:
Sometimes your ad will be seen by people who are not interested in your product. Encourage them to skip ads if the content is irrelevant so they don't have to pay to see irrelevant ads and waste time.
Personalize your message:
Advertising has become a part of everyday life, but only high-profile ads get noticed. Create engaging, personalized YouTube ads for your audience to help them engage with your brand. Brand loyalty is easier to instill if one can relate to it early in the educational process.
Use subtitles:
This advice applies to all YouTube videos, but it's a general best practice that many brands don't follow. Include high-quality video recordings that you have created and approved. Google only indexes recordings uploaded by users, as YouTube's automatic captions may not be reliable. Depending on your target audience, you can also include audio recordings in multiple languages.
Fragmented campaigns:
Sometimes campaigns can be too general to tell anyone about. If your content is too mainstream, it can be difficult to get people to take action or remember your brand. Think about your ad's audience and analyze user flows to determine if you can segment your audience and ads to make them relevant.
Set price limit:
One obvious YouTube trick that many people overlook is frequency capping. Depending on the size of your audience, capturing impressions can be an essential part of your campaign or just nice. This feature allows you to limit the number of times your ad will be shown to a specific person. Use this feature to ensure that you don't annoy users or create negative feelings about your brand.
I hope this basic review about YouTube ads has helped you learn a little more about how marketing works on this platform. Soon we will be giving a basic guide to create and publish an ad on YouTube.