YouTube Advertising 101

YouTube has over 1.9bn users worldwide and is the third most visited site after Google and Facebook. Youtube is also currently the second largest search engine! The largest is, unsurprisingly, Google; which also happens to own Youtube...

A whopping 1 billion hours of Youtube videos are watched every day - that’s more than Netflix and Facebook video combined! It's extremely mobile with over half of its views coming in via mobile devices, with the average mobile viewing session lasting over 40 minutes.

62% of YouTube users are male

• The fastest growing demographics are the 35+ and 55+ age groups

• Millennials now prefer YouTube to traditional TV

• 37% of 18 - 34yr olds binge watch

• Males primarily watch football related content

• Females primarily watch beauty related content

Advertising on YouTube

As YouTube is such a vast audience, it is the ideal place to reach your target market for a modest CPA. YouTube advertising allows you to reach people, either on the homepage when they are searching for specific keywords or also by displaying your message before or after a video plays.

Types of Ads

Much like Facebook and Twitter, you can target potential customers based on location, demographic and interest.

Youtube has the flexibility for you to promote your business in a video from 6 seconds to 60 seconds across any device. There are currently three types of adverts to choose from:

• Trueview in-stream adverts which catch users before they watch the content they searched for

• Trueview discovery adverts which appear on Youtube’s homepage or at the top of the search results for your chosen interest groups.

• Bumper videos which are only 6 seconds long. This type of ad is ideal for capturing smartphone users (which is over half of their users).

TrueView in-stream ads

A skippable, online video ad that appears before the main video.

There are two options when it comes to user destinations from CTA:

• Landing page via a web click ad - invite people to explore your website or buy something from your online business.

• You can send people to your YouTube channel - this is an ideal way to increase video views, shares and subscribers, attracting and engaging future customers.

Creating Content for Ads

• High quality

• Edited together well

• Has a branded title card that identifies the content as yours

Targeting & Budgets

YouTube is owned by Google so it links up to your Adwords account. You can target in the same way:

Budgets can be customised and can start from as little as £6.00 per day (local campaign). If you are unsure YouTube offer support for those wishing to reach a broader audience. You can call a YouTube expert by clicking here.

You will only pay when one of three things happens:

• Someone watches your ad for 30 seconds

• Someone watches your entire ad

• Someone clicks on your ad

For example, when someone views your TrueView ad for at least 30 seconds or engages with your ad by clicking on a call-to-action overlay, a card or a companion banner. It should be noted that adjustments to your budget can be made at any time.

Organic Content: Quick Wins

Using your Channel Header to Advertise

The header image on a Youtube channel (example shown below) offers the opportunity to advertise to your current subscribers and those who search for your channel directly on YouTube or click through from SERPs.

The ideal size for a YouTube header is 2560 x 1440 pixels and should be a striking image with strong messaging. Take a look at your YouTube header below from Northern Ballet’s channel, it is a great example of this.

As you can see above, Northern Ballet has used their header to promote one of their performances, using striking promotional imagery plus a link to their website. This is good practice and is a free form of advertising, capitalising on visitors to your main channel.

The key’s in the words

YouTube is now considered the world’s second most popular search network after Google, which does make it a great resource for ranking when potential customers are Googling. To get your video content seen by a wide and relevant audience, including the right keywords in your accompanying text is pivotal. Use metadata and write descriptions that consider what someone looking to buy or has a keen interest in your product/service might consider.

Again the secret here is succinct, descriptive and compelling text. Make sure it’s clear what you’re trying to say, what you expect of the user, what is on offer and what they can get out of it - social media is all about perceived value.

Your title is incredibly important. Your title will be what encourages a viewer to click your video above anybody else’s. It’s crucial that it a) is fully optimised for people to find it and b) intrigues them enough to want to watch it.

Titles should feature your brand at the start, making it easy for those looking for your content on this platform, and also include the product/service details too. This way viewers know exactly what they are getting when they click on your video in organic search results.

Integrate - create a link across social channels and to your website

Include links to your other accounts and web page in every video you make. If someone watches your content and appreciates it, it allows them to instantly engage with you further and start a relationship beyond that one piece of content.

Advertising on YouTube may not be something you have previously considered but it could be a great asset to your digital marketing efforts!