Video ads are undeniably an important element of digital marketing today. It’s the biggest content opportunity in 2021. Around 85% of marketers noted that they are an effective way to catch the attention of a target audience. When it comes to online channels, YouTube is, no doubt, the most popular video-sharing platform. Being the 2nd most visited website globally, YouTube ads can boost brand awareness, lead generation, and sales. There’s one video ad format advertisers love on the platform. It’s called TrueView ads. 8 out of 10 YouTube viewers prefer them over other types of Google ads. Let’s find out what marketers need to know about YouTube’s TrueView Ads.
What is a TrueView Video Ad?
A TrueView video ad is an in-stream or skippable video ad on YouTube. It was launched by Google on 02 December 2010. TrueView bridges the gap between a brand’s marketing goal and the viewers’ interests. Viewers are given a choice whether to skip or watch the ad. So, they won’t be bombarded with ads that they don’t want to see. What’s good about TrueView is that advertisers don’t pay a dime unless the viewers watch the ad. Marketers choose what to pay for each view to get the right audience at the right price.
A TrueView video ad is an opt-in, thus, advertisers can run ads of any length. They can experiment with creative formats from quick how-to videos, to mid-roll testimonials, to a longer product demo. Some of the most successful TrueView video ads’ lengths are longer than 3 minutes and viewers stick around to watch its entirety.
With TrueView, marketers can target ads based on affinity, demographics (age, gender, location, etc.), and topics. It ends passive advertising as TrueView ads influence viewers to take action after the video is over. These actions include:
- Add the video to a playlist
- Buy a product
- Click any link on the video description
- Download an app
- Leave a comment
- Like or dislike the video
- Share the video
- Subscribe to a channel
- View other videos on the channel
Thus, it makes a video ad more interactive.
Types of TrueView Video Ads
- TrueView discovery video ads are very similar to search ads on Google. They appear on related videos of a watch page, search results, and a YouTube home page. These types of TrueView ads reach viewers that are looking for videos to watch. This means that when a viewer clicks on the in-display ad, they are interested in the brand. They can also sit alongside content on partner websites. Advertisers pay for every click on a TrueView discovery ad. Viewers who click the ad are sent to the watch page of the video ad. Advertisers no longer need to pay for any other actions performed by the viewer on the watch page after clicking the ad. Discovery video ads are a great format for brand or product consideration campaigns. Their main purpose is to increase brand or product visibility.
- TrueView Shopping ads connect a YouTube in-stream video ad to product links of an existing Merchant Center via shopping cards. Advertisers can add up to 6 shopping cards per video. To run a TrueView Shopping ad, a brand must link its Google Ads account to a Google Merchant Account. Afterward, the brand can select the campaign goal of brand or product consideration and the subtype goal of shopping. Users can add up to 10 products to the campaign but only 6 will be displayed. Although the main goal of TrueView shopping ads is to make viewers purchase a product, they are commonly charged using the cost per impression (CPM) buying model. Each impression is equal to someone who visits a page where the ad is displayed and advertisers are charged per 1000 impressions.
- TrueView for action ads is another example of in-stream video ads. They play before, during, or after any YouTube videos and can be skipped after 5 seconds. They appear across Google partner apps and YouTube watch pages. These types of TrueView video ads influence viewers to act on a CTA via an end screen or headline on the video. With action ads, advertisers can include optional features like lead forms or site links. Advertisers pay based on cost per action (CPA) via Google ads. They can set a fixed budget through maximizing conversion or target CPA bidding. TrueView action ads are a great campaign format for lead generation, sales, and website traffic. Overall, the main idea of a TrueView for action ads boils down to drive conversion.
Implications for Marketers:
TrueView video ads are a cost-effective way to market on YouTube. Brands only need to pay when viewers engage with TrueView video ads. Thus, they’re paying for true engagement rather than just exposure. Besides, the targeting options of TrueView video ads focus on the most valuable target audiences on YouTube. With 1.86 billion monthly active users, these ads can boost brand awareness. At the same time, video creativity can influence viewers to take actions that positively impact a brand.
Reference: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/youtube-trueview-ads-demystified-what-marketers-need-to-know/
