Why advertise on Youtube?
With more than two billion visitors a month, YouTube takes second place in the search engine popularity contest. Running engaging video ads across the platform can increase brand awareness and drive click-throughs, while the powerful targeting capabilities and variety of ad formats provide plenty of choice for different budgets and goals.
How does it work?
YouTube is an advertisers dream. There is a wealth of opportunities to grow your brand and increase sales. YouTube offers 5 types of adverts that vary in cost, placement and style. So whether you have a big or small budget, want to showoff a branded video or just use static imagery it doesn't matter as there will be an option for you. So what are these 5 ad types?
1. Non-video ads
YouTube offers non-video ads that are usually shown alongside related content, either in the search results or during another video (although sometimes the platform gets it wrong and your video doesn’t sit alongside relevant content—it often can be hit or miss). Similar to discovery ads, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. There are two types of non-video ad on YouTube: Display ads. These show up in the right-hand sidebar when people are watching videos, and include an image, text, and a call to action (CTA).
In-video overlay ads. These are displayed on top of existing video content from monetized YouTube channels.
Best for: Non-video ads run a lot cheaper, both to create and to serve, than video ads, so they’re ideal for brands with a lower budget that still want to reap the benefits of video advertising on YouTube.
2. Discovery ads
Discovery ads are a little different to the in-roll YouTube ads. Rather than being played at the start or middle of other videos, they show up alongside organic YouTube search results and include three lines of text and a thumbnail. When a viewer clicks on the ad, they can either be directed to your video page or your YouTube channel. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
Best for: Competing with similar content and sharing relevant, high-quality videos on niche topics.
3. Skippable in-stream video ads
These ads play before or during a video (pre-roll or mid-roll) and give viewers the chance to “skip” after five seconds. You only pay when users watch the first 30 seconds, the whole thing, or if they interact with your ad by clicking—basically, you only pay if they don’t hit the Skip button. Skippable in-stream video ads need to be at least 12 seconds long, but it’s the first few seconds that really count—you only have five seconds to grab the attention of viewers and persuade them to watch more.
Best for: Increasing your reach, particularly if you’ve got a strong video with an engaging start. It helps to be specific with the content of your ad to capture the attention of your target audience from the get-go. These ads are also good for brands who want to drive traffic and conversions, since you only pay when a viewer clicks.
4. Non-skippable in-stream video ads
Ad blocking culture is rife, and 76% of people automatically skip ads even if they might be interested in them. Non-skippable in-stream video ads address this concern by letting you serve ads pre-roll or mid-roll that viewers can’t skip. Because users can’t skip, you pay per impression (per person who sees the ad) at a cost per 1,000 views (CPM). These ads need to be 15 seconds long and really punchy to attract a captive audience.
Best for: Increasing brand awareness, particularly if you have a really strong creative or message that can capture viewer attention for the entire 15 seconds.
5. Bumper Ads
Like non-skippable video ads, bumper ads can be served pre-roll or mid-roll and can’t be skipped. The only difference is these ads run much shorter at six seconds a pop. Again, you pay for impressions at CPM.
Best for: Raising brand awareness with short, snappy messages. When Google analyzed 300 bumper ads, it found that 90% created a big lift in ad recall.
Get Started
YouTube ads expose your brand to billions of people who are actively searching for relevant topics in your industry. Leverage the powerful targeting capabilities and variety of ad formats to connect with new customers, increase brand awareness, and drive traffic to your site. If you would like to setup a YouTube Advert then get in touch with us at SPF websites and we can help you achieve your business growth goals.