YouTube Marketing
Should I Advertise On YouTube?
YouTube has over 1 billion users and has over 50% more video views on the platform each year. It is also the 2nd largest search engine in the world. On mobile alone, more 18-49-year-old people watch YouTube during primetime in the United States than they watch the top 10 primetime shows combined! With statistics like that, it is no wonder that over the last two years, the number of small and medium-sized businesses advertising on YouTube has nearly doubled.
It is always a good idea to make sure your YouTube channel is populated with engaging content before you start to advertise. This will give your video viewers a better idea as to who you are and what your business is about.
Types Of YouTube Ads
YouTube has two main categories of ads, non-skippable and skippable and those ads can be shown in two different ways.
Non-skippable ads are 15-20 seconds long and as the name suggests, cannot be skipped. This type of ad produces higher engagement rates but also demonstrates a high video abandonment rate.
To set up non-skippable ads you’ll need to login to your Google AdWords account and click on “campaign.” If you do not have an AdWords account, you are in luck. We have Google Certified specialists on staff to help you get started. This type of Ad will be shown in the Display Network. The Display Network is comprised of Google property sites and it’s partner sites that offer display advertising. Companies using this type of advertising will have their ads show before, during or after a video stream, overlay a video or text and on top of a video, or once a video has ended. Once you have selected Display Network, you will then be able to select a location for your ads to be shown as well as bid strategies, ad extensions and more. Non-skippable ads will be set up as Video Ads from the Ad Gallery.
Skippable YouTube Ads
Skippable ads, also known as True View ads can be shown two different ways, in-stream or in-display. For this ad type, there is not a maximum length, although it is recommended to not show ads longer than three seconds for fear that you will lose your potential client’s attention. In-stream ads are pre-roll ads shown at the start of a video and are the most common ad type. In-stream ads will appear in the display network of videos, apps, and games. This type is shown at the start of a video.
What are the benefits of In-Stream YouTube Ads?
- Can be used to boost your YouTube channel subscriptions.
- Helps build a loyal audience that will engage with your content on a regular basis.
With in-stream, you will be able to send traffic to your website, so you will want to make sure your site is able to handle increases in traffic, is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Your ad and website should display what you want your readers to do in a clear and precise manner. If you decide to send users to a landing page instead, make sure your page is set up to optimize for conversions and keep all messaging the same across the different platforms.
What are the benefits of In-Display Or Overlay YouTube Ads?
In-Display, or overlay ads, as they are commonly referred to will be displayed in a variety of different ways.
- YouTube videos
- Search Results
- YouTube Watch or your Channel Page
- Display Network Content
This type of video advertisement can be any length, but like we mentioned above you don’t want your video to lose your audience’s attention. When people see your video ad in any of the forms mentioned above, they can click on the video’s thumbnail and it will take them to your video. If the YouTube viewer clicks on the CTA overlay (call-to-action) in your video it will take the user to your website. In-display ads can also be used to grow a YouTube channels presence.
Skippable ads are created in Google AdWords as well. If you are not familiar with this platform, take a look at this article about advertising with AdWords. Here you can find some useful tips to make sure you are setting up your advertisements correctly and targeting the correct audience.
Important Tip!
One of the most important things to remember when setting up your ad is to make sure your headline will capture your potential viewer’s attention. Once you have their attention you will want to make sure your description makes them want to further investigate what your video or business is all about. If you are using keywords for targeting in AdWords and SEO you need to make sure the keywords are being used in the headline and throughout the description as well. 48% of the mobile users in the U.S. prefer seeing a pre-roll Ad that is related to the content they are searching for or currently watching.
Building your Advertisement
YouTube has an AdBuilder Tool to help you create your video ads should you need it. With this tool, you will be presented with a variety of different themes to choose from. For each of those themes, YouTube has provided a guide with explanations of the video shots you need to create and also has many compelling ideas for the script. This is a very helpful tool if you have not created YouTube ads before.
Campaign Metrics
You will want to keep an eye on your campaign metrics as your advertisements start to run. Some key metrics to monitor are your view rate, clicks, impressions, CPC, and average position. Your view rate is important because it measures the percentage of people who watched your video after they saw the video thumbnail. If your view rate is low it could be that your headline and description are not compelling enough for people to actually click and view your video.
For more information about advertising on YouTube or any of the other digital marketing platforms such as Facebook and Google AdWords, give us a call! Our team is ready to help get your campaigns started and help bring in more clients to your business.