What does YouTube advert look like in 2019?
For one, it’s one of the world’s largest platforms for advertisers.
The numbers do not lie. YouTube is also the second-biggest search engine after Google, with 1.9 billion monthly active customers. 50 million of those customers are content creators who add 576,000 hours of video to YouTube daily.
You could set yourself apart from over 90 % of U.S. businesses simply by making a YouTube business account and getting began advertising on YouTube.
This guide will assist you to rise to the challenge.
By the time you are completed reading, you will know the way to navigate YouTube’s advert manager and understand the platform’s six advert formats. You will also have a firm grasp of YouTube advert targeting, and have a greater sense of how to monetize your channel.
Let’s start with the bread and butter of YouTube advert: video adverts.
YouTube video advert formats
People go to YouTube for video content, so it goes without saying that video adverts are the best method to reach your audience and build a brand on the platform.
There are three video advert categories on YouTube:
1. TrueView adverts
2. Non-skippable video adverts
3. Bumper adverts
1. TrueView Adverts
TrueView adverts are the skippable adverts that appear at the beginning of YouTube videos. They are a good place to get began advertising on YouTube, for a few reasons:
They’re versatile
TrueView adverts permit you to advertise your services and products with how-to videos, demos, video testimonials and more.
In September last year, UK-based outerwear manufacturer Superdry won a “YouTube Works for Brands” award for their “That is the Jacket” TrueView adverts. The marketing campaign was hugely successful, leading to a 37 % rise in digital sales, and a 55 % increase in hero product sales!
Superdry – THIS IS THE JACKET from Iris on Vimeo.
Effective TrueView adverts embrace a clear call to action from the beginning of the video, whether that’s in the video itself, or via overlay adverts and sponsored cards (more on those later).
They are one of the best methods to drive rapid customer engagement elsewhere on your YouTube channel, sometimes by up to 500%!
They are low risk
TrueView adverts are a cost-effective method to attain a related audience. You only pay when the advert has:
- Played for 30 seconds or longer (or ended)
- Prompted an action from your viewer (like a click)
Because TrueView adverts could be skipped after 5 seconds, you will rarely waste advert on completely uninterested audiences.
They reach a wide audience
Keep in mind, YouTube takes Google search history into account when serving adverts, so you are essentially mixing the audiences of the 2 largest search engines on the web.
TrueView adverts could appear on other publisher websites in the Display Network, relying on which kind of TrueView advert you select: In-Stream or Discovery.
TrueView In-Stream adverts
These adverts play during YouTube videos, and they could also play in other places in Google’s display network, like apps or games.
Your in-stream advert could be up to three minutes long, however, 30 seconds is generally recommended. There is no word limit for your advert copy, and clicks go to your site or digital storefront.
While your in-stream advert plays, a companion banner—an actual display advert—appears in the top right. It is a direct route to your site.
TrueView Discovery adverts
Discovery adverts are like display adverts—in fact, they even used to be called in-display adverts. These are the recommended videos that pop up on the YouTube homepage, or as recommended/associated videos on the search web page.
With discovery adverts, there is no limit to the video length, since people select to navigate to them. The accompanying display advert headline has a 25 character limit, and the body copy could contain two lines, each with a 35-word maximum.
Total, TrueView campaigns are a low threat, high reward. Even a skipped advert could increase engagement!
Up to 76 % of customers reflexively skip adverts given the choice. Nevertheless, people who skip TrueView ads are still 10 times extra likely to go to or subscribe to a brand channel than those who were never exposed to the advert at all. And people who actually watch the adverts? 23 times more likely!
TrueView for Reach
In April 2018, Google launched TrueView to Reach, a new method of optimizing TrueView adverts based on marketing campaign goals. Rather than paying whenever a prospect watches your advert to completion, TrueView for Reach enables CPM (cost per 1,000) pricing for these shorter adverts, that means you will pay per 1,000 views. To be eligible for this kind of optimization, your advert must be between six and 30 seconds.
TrueView for Reach is a great option if you want to reach a wide audience rapidly. On Google’s weblog, Samsung commented that they were enhanced reach by 50 % at half their normal CPM utilizing the new format during Beta testing.
However, Samsung is a giant firm with a wide audience and range of merchandise. When you are advertising a more niche services or products, TrueView for Reach may not be as helpful, simply because your advert may probably be better spent honing in on your particular viewers.
2. Non-Skippable YouTube adverts
Real talk: non-skippable adverts could be annoying, however, they are here to stay. The great news? People are learning to tolerate them (or at least, learning to do something else while they play) particularly since YouTube cut the maximum length from 30 to 20 seconds.
There are two kinds of non-skippable YouTube advert:
- Pre-roll adverts which appear before a video plays
- Mid-roll adverts which appear at the midpoint of 10 minute-or-longer videos
When you are looking to tell a deeper, more nuanced story that requires a little build-up, you could want to set up some non-skippable YouTube advert. Be sure that your video is hyper-focused and clearly showcases your product’s worth to your target audience.
Another tip? Be sure that the video communicates your message audibly as well as visually. That method, even when somebody’s not excited about watching, they still may hear what you must say.
Skillful advert targeting is the key to discovering success with non-skippable adverts. Take the time to hone in on your desired viewers.
Generally, non-skippable adverts are efficient for growing brand exposure to particular target markets. Another profit? They are paid for on a cost-per-mille (CPM) basis, providing you with more control over your advert spend.
3. Bumper adverts
Bumper adverts are the more tolerable version of non-skippable adverts, lasting six seconds at most. They appear at the end of YouTube videos and are paid for on a CPM basis.
Because they are short, bumper adverts are ideal for focusing on mobile users. They are also a good way to recycle longer content.
Pro tip: Cut down on the “annoying” factor of non-skippable adverts by making a six-second bumper version. Then, re-market to viewers who have seen the non-skippable version to the shorter version. This way, you could reinforce exposure to the brand without leaving viewers frustrated.
When you need inspiration, YouTube has a leaderboard that includes the top 20 bumper ads of the moment based on views, click-through rate, and user creative ratings: