THE DEMAND FOR video is increasing every year, which means if you want to be found by your target audience you should be using video.
By the end of 2018, video accounted for 74% of all online traffic, and that is only going to increase. Besides posting video content on your website, you can take advantage of this ever-growing interest by placing video ads on YouTube. That’s because YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google.
Video ads let you share more information than traditional static ads, and can help drive engagement, leads and revenue.
YouTube advertising formats
YouTube offers a variety of advertising formats to suit different needs.
The standard YouTube ad is known as a TrueView video ad. Brands who use TrueView see views of previously existing content increase by up to 500%, according to HootSuite. You can watch a great video here that explains TrueView advertising.
TrueView ads have many advantages:
- You only pay when people watch your ad all the way to the end.
- You choose what you want to pay for a view. And unlike cost-per-impression (CPM) pricing, you don’t need to pay every time your ad is shown.
- You can customise your ads and decide on everything from video runtime to different content types (such as ‘how-to’ videos, product highlights, customer testimonials, and more).
- TrueView ads have great reach. They can also appear on other publisher sites in the display network.
There are three types of TrueView ads:
- TrueView in-stream ads. These appear before, during, or after other videos on YouTube and Google’s channels. After five seconds of viewing, people have the option to skip a TrueView in-stream ad. you pay once someone watches 30 seconds or if they interact with the ad, which can mean website visits, or clicking on a CTA or banner.
- TrueView video discovery ads. These show a thumbnail image of your video and three lines of text inviting audiences to click to watch your video. You only get charged when viewers click the thumbnail to watch your ad.
- Bumper ads. These are non-skippable clips of up to six seconds that appear before other YouTube videos. Due to their short format, they’re optimised for reaching a mobile audience.
They’re also a cost-effective way of reaching your audience and ensuring your message is seen and heard. They’re ideal when you’d like to reach viewers broadly with a short, memorable message.
Get started
- Choose which YouTube video to promote
Your promoted video must be posted on YouTube, so upload it if you haven’t already done so. Then visit the YouTube page for launching a campaign and paste the link to your video into the Video Ad field provided.
- Offer something your audience will want
Offer your target audience gated content, a discount voucher or code, or software. You’ll need a special landing page or web page where you send them to receive the exclusive offer.
- Write enticing copy
You need to create a headline and two description lines. The headline is limited to 100 characters, and each description line is limited to 35 characters.
Be direct with your headline and specific with your description copy. In the description lines, explain what your video is about. Tell people what benefits they’ll get from watching it.
You can also choose from four thumbnails images of your video. Pick one that best represents your brand and identity then add the URL of whatever landing page or website you’re sending them to.
- Select the target audience
YouTube offers a range of audience options that include:- Demographic group targeting
- Interests targeting
- Affinity audiences
- In-market audience
- Video remarketing
- Placement targeting
- Topics
- Keyword targeting.
Your ad will appear in YouTube search, videos, and the Google Display Network unless you choose to clear check boxes for any of these options.
- Approve your ad
You can then approve your ads to start running them on YouTube. After Google and YouTube approve your campaign, you will see the campaign status in your Google AdWords dashboard.
Get leads with YouTube ads
- Keep your audience engaged with playlists
Your video ads will only get conversions if they hold your audience’s attention. By offering YouTube playlists—curated lists of related videos—you might be able to keep them engaged. Great playlists, according to YouTube, can increase watch time and create another asset that will appear in search results and in suggested videos. - Make your ad title compelling
It needs to be concise, informative and relevant. - Pay attention to ad specs
YouTube ads with higher production values boost brand reputation and trustworthiness and help videos stand out from the crowd. So, make sure your ad plays and looks good on all devices. - Create content your audience will find useful
A staggering 98% of viewers say they’ve watched a video to learn more about a product or service. 74% of people who’ve watched a ‘how to’ video to learn more about a product or service went on to buy it, according to HootSuite. Some of the most engaging videos (the ones most likely to entice your viewers to buy your product or service) are how-to videos, product demos, and other dynamic content. - Target the right audience
Be as specific as possible when you’re choosing your target audience. You can focus on both countries and regions. - Track and analyse your ad
When you do finally launch your video ad, you can see how well it’s working with detailed analytics. You can then use the information to improve your ad.
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