Introduction
Targeted, engaging and optimized videos are effective tools for spreading your marketing message and reaching new audiences. And the reality is that most people would rather watch an engaging video than read a long article or blog post.
In fact, the YouTube platform has over 2 billion users – who collectively consume over 1 billion hours of video every day!
That's more than Netflix and Facebook videos combined.
However, YouTube is of course not the only video platform available, although it is currently the largest. As of 2021, YouTube reaches more people between the ages of 18 and 49 than any US cable network.
No doubt, it's a powerful branding and marketing tool, and since your audience is likely already on video platforms, it's an easy way to maximize conversion rates or simply reach brand new fans.
YouTube has also become a frequently used search engine for many people, even those who generally say they are uncomfortable with modern technology.
In this special review, we'll take a detailed look at how you can create high-converting video ads on YouTube to maximize exposure quickly and easily.
Let's begin!
Introduction to YouTube Ads
In 2017, YouTube redesigned its AdWords, allowing advertisers to reach more viewers on YouTube, especially on mobile devices, where nearly 50% of all YouTube views happen.
YouTube also announced the ability for advertisers to target viewers based on their Google search history — in addition to the viewing behavior it was already targeting.
This means that you can now target viewers who have recently searched for a specific product or service, and then create different ads for different types of viewers.
If a viewer sees a video-based ad that's closely related to something they've just searched for, they're more likely to watch the entire clip, or even click through to your website for more information.
Targeted ads allow you to maximize your marketing dollars and reach deep into your niche and connect with your audience in minutes.
However, YouTube ads are a bit different from other types of ads (like Facebook or Google). Some other platforms require you to pay up front for ads.
However, on YouTube, you only pay per view if a user watches more than 30 seconds of your ad or takes an action (such as clicking through to your website).
With Google or Facebook ads, you would pay regardless of how much of your ad was seen. With YouTube, you only pay when your ad gets a positive response!
Types of YouTube ads
Before you start advertising on the YouTube platform, it's important that you understand the different options available to you.
There are currently seven different types of ads on YouTube:
True View Instream Ads: These are the most common of all YouTube ads, the main ad format.
8 out of 10 viewers prefer this type of ad over other types. This is mainly because this format gives you the most control over what ads they see.
You may see this as a negative because viewers may choose to skip your ads, but think of it this way: you only pay for those viewers who are interested in what you have to offer.
These ads can be as short as 12 seconds and as long as 6 minutes. A six-minute ad is a fairly long ad, so you should probably aim somewhere in the middle.
There are two basic types of TrueView ads: skippable and non-skippable.
Let's look at them in more detail.
Unskippable Instream Ads: This is a type of TrueView ad that does exactly what the name says. The viewer cannot skip these ads, but must watch them in their entirety to get to the content they are looking for.
Non-skippable ads can be played at the beginning or end of the selected video or placed somewhere in the middle. Ads that appear in the middle of a video can be annoying, but you're more likely to keep the viewer's attention as they wait for the rest of the selected content to appear.
The important thing to remember is that the ad must be watched all the way through, which means you pay every time the ad plays. This would be a good choice for a business with a large marketing budget, as you won't be targeting your audience as narrowly as you would with a skippable ad. With an unskippable ad, you pay every time it appears.
Note: YouTube recently announced that it must be under 20 seconds (rather than the 30 seconds they previously allowed).
There is also a special subset of unskippable ads: the microspot. This is a non-skippable ad that plays at the beginning of the video and must be less than 6 seconds long. You are billed the same way other non-skippable ads are billed.
Skippable Instream Ads: Sounds like this again. After viewing five seconds of your TrueView ad, the user can choose to skip it and go straight to the content of their choice.
We don't charge you anything unless they watch at least 30 seconds of your ad (or take an action like clicking on a link in your ad).
Skippable ads can be played at the beginning of the video, during or after the video. We recommend placing ads at the beginning or middle of your video, as it's too easy to skip an ad at the end by clicking on the next video in a row.
Sponsored Card Ads: These ads display content relevant to the YouTube video you're watching, such as the products used in the video itself. Viewers will be shown a trailer of the card for a few seconds, or they can click the icon in the upper right corner of the screen to scroll through the cards associated with their video.
These ads are available on both desktop and mobile versions of YouTube. Sponsored cards are very subtle advertising on YouTube.
Overlay ads: These ads are available for desktop or laptop. An overlay ad is a transparent ad that appears in the bottom 20% of a video. That's 480 x 70 pixels and viewers can stop the ad at any time.
Overlay ads are not as popular because they are prone to click fraud and because some viewers find them annoying.
Display ads: Appear to the right of the video directly above the list of video suggestions. They can be 300 x 250 or 300 x 60 pixels in size and can run in all areas of YouTube except the home page.
If a viewer is interested in what you're advertising and sees one of your display ads, you should click.
Mid-Video Ads: These ads play full screen and appear in videos longer than 15 minutes. They play just like TV commercials, periodically interrupting the video to show an ad.
Viewers must watch the ad before the video continues to play, so you'll pay every time the ad starts, not when the viewer watches a certain amount of the ad.
These ads can appear on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. Advertisers can insert ad breaks in natural pauses for long periods of time