How do I Advertise on YouTube?
Before you start advertising, let's go over the different ad formats that YouTube offers. Depending on your goals, you get to choose the convenient one from three main groups.
TrueView Ads
TrueView is a type of ads formats where the advertiser is charged only when people view or interact with videos. It is the traditional video ad format and the best thing about it is that you're not charged if the ad is skipped. It is a bit frustrating when you are obligated to watch ads on YouTube. So, it is actually a win-win situation for both the user and the advertiser. Simply, the user can skip the ad if he isn't interested and the advertiser doesn't pay for views from irrelevant viewers. Remember that the skippable TrueView ads are between 12 seconds and 6 minutes in length.
There are three types of TrueView ads:
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TrueView In-stream ads
A TrueView In-streams ad appears at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the video. The ad can be skipped after 5 seconds and if so the advertiser won't be charged. Like we said before, the ad is charged only if the viewer watched the entire video or 30 seconds and if he interacted with the advertisement.
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TrueView Discovery ads
TrueView Discovery ads can be viewed in three placements which are YouTube search pages, video watch page, and on the mobile app homepage. They just pop up whenever someone searches for a relevant service or product. The advertisement consists of a header, description, and a thumbnail. You will only be charged only when the user clicks on the advertisement.
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TrueView for reach
TrueView for reach is another type of ad format that appears at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the video. This ad type is mainly used to raise awareness, expand reach, and boost the views. This ad can be skipped after 5 seconds. You have a maximum of 20 seconds to deliver your message or promote your product in a simple and catchy way.
Non-skippable YouTube Ads
Unlike TrueView ad formats, the users can't skip these ads. They must watch it till the end so they access the YouTube video. These ads used to be 30 seconds but YouTube shortened them to 20 seconds to be less annoying to the uninterested viewers. Despite this, it is still considered annoying to most of the viewers. So, try to decrease the negative feelings by posting proper and creative content to deliver your message.
There are two types of non-skippable ads which are:
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Pre-roll ads:
Pre-roll ads appear at the beginning of any YouTube video and can't be skipped. The user won't have access to the video unless he watches it till the end.
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Mid-roll ads:
If the user watches a video with duration of 10 minutes or more, it is likely that a mid-roll ad appears. The user must view the entire ad to continue watching the video.
Bumper Ads
Bumper ads are also a type of non-skippable ads but with different conditions. A bumper ad appears after the main YouTube video ends and lasts for only 6 seconds. Due to its relatively short duration, users may end up watching it. They also can just close the tab if they are not interested. So, it is much less annoying. The advertiser is charged on CPM which is the cost per mille or cost per thousand, meaning per thousand views or clicks.
Set up the goals you want to achieve before choosing the right format. It is up to you. For example, if you want to boost your brand awareness, try non-skippable ads. If you want your ad to appear to as many people as possible and expand your reach, try TrueView for reach and so on.
There are also other types such as the YouTube overlay ads and YouTube Sponsored card. As a YouTube viewer, you will be familiar with these ads.
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YouTube overlay ads
These are transparent advertisements you can view at the lower 20% portion of the video. Viewers can exit these ads easily. However, many people click on them by mistake and it is annoying. This type appears only on computers and laptops.
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YouTube sponsored cards
It is a new ad format. Content related to the video appear- such as products featured in the video- is displayed for a few seconds on the top right corner of the video. Viewers will see the teaser cards and can click to browse more. This type appears on desktop and mobiles.
Remember that you need to post engaging content that people will enjoy, remember for a while, and maybe take an action upon.
Once you created your video ad, it's time to think about your YouTube campaign.
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Create your campaign
Step 1
You need to create a YouTube channel and Google Ads Account. Sign in to your Google Ad account to start a new campaign. Then choose your objective from the following list to you can just create a campaign without a goal:
Sales
Leads
Website traffic
Product and brand consideration
Brand awareness and reach
Step 2
Select a suitable campaign type. Make sure to select "Video." There is also another option which is "Display ads" but these ads are not video ads. They appear as a text with a thumbnail only.
Step 3
Choose a suitable video campaign subtype from the following:
Skippable in-stream
Bumper
Non-skippable in-stream
Step 4
Don't forget to give your campaign a name so you can track and manage it easily in the future. It is actually a crucial step to stay organized and avoid any conflict.
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Define the suitable parameters
Step 1
Determine your "Bid strategy." It is basically what you want behind this campaign; conversions, impressions, or clicks.
Step 2
Enter the budget you are willing to spend on your YouTube campaign daily or as a total. Also, you need to adjust the dates that the campaign will run through. Choose how you want to be charged from the following six options:
Maximum CPV: Cost per view
Maximum CPM: Cost per 1,000 times the ad is displayed
Target CPM: Average cost per 1,000 times the ad is displayed
Viewable CPM: Cost per 1,000 times the ad was viewed by users
Target CPA: A smart optimizing bidding strategy that gets as many conversions as possible and you get charged at the CPM rate
Maximize conversions: It is a way to optimize bidding capabilities by getting the most conversions within your budget
With so many bidding options, you can start experimenting until you find the suitable one for you and that also gives the highest ROI. If you are having doubts, "Google Ads" is literally here for you. Use target CPA or maximize conversions and let Google Ads decide what is best for you.
Step 3
Select the right placements for your campaign
YouTube search results only
Everywhere on YouTube ( search results, channel pages, videos, and the homepage)
YouTube display networks ( YouTube's partner sites and mobile apps)
Step 4
Define the location of the audience you want the campaign to appear to. You can choose "all countries and territories" or by country. You can also exclude certain places if you want.
Step 5
Choose your audience's language and device operating system. This is an essential step for mobile application ads.
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Identify your target audience
Studying your audience and creating a buyer persona is a crucial step in digital marketing generally. The best targeting gets the best results, exposure, and ROI. Identify the following:
Demographics
This section lets you decide who you are targeting according to age, gender, household income, and parental status. If you think this is not enough, so does YouTube. It offers detailed targeting through choosing life-stage data such as new parents or college students, and so on.
Interests
Here comes the role of search history. Using the right keywords and topics, your advertisement will appear to users searching for a relevant product/service. It is a good idea to research the keywords that are related to your business. Google Ads can help you with this by generating related keywords to choose from.
Remarketing
YouTube gives you the ability to retarget the same audience from previous campaigns. This is a good and fast method to choose a successful buyer persona in which people interacted with your ads, videos, website, or application. This option is only available if you are connected to your Google Ads account because it automatically creates custom lists for you.
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Publish your campaign
Finally, insert the URL to your advertisement and hit the "Create Campaign" button. YouTube advertising, there you go!
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Make sure that your advertisement is working
YouTube offers a wealth of analytic data and tools to help you. It is important to use different metrics to track your efforts and video ad performance. You need to check the following metrics to decide if your advertisement is on the right track.
Views
Check the number of video views. It will give you an indication of the number of people who viewed or interacted with your video.
Clicks
Check the number of times people clicked on your video advertisement.
Video viewership
This option is really helpful. It shows you how many people completed 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of your video. It shows you when your viewers lose interest so you can improve how to deliver your message.
When it comes to video content advertising, YouTube is the king. You just need to study the options and formats this platform offers before starting any campaign. Time and patience, with some trial and error, will help you conduct the right marketing strategy for your business and market. So, what about marketing with video ads now?
If you are looking for YouTube advertising support or just help and advice why not check out the Social Receptionist Managed YouTube Advertising services page and we'll be happy to discuss optimisations and options with you.
