There are over a billion YouTube users each month. That’s almost a third of the internet, which demonstrates the immense popularity of the site. Even more impressively, a billion hours of video is watched on the site every single day. That’s a lot of puppy swarm videos, and a lot of advert views too.
Adverts on YouTube are known as TrueView adverts. They’re a fantastic option for any business looking to get more exposure. Thanks to the platform’s opt-in system, advertisers can expect better results. Viewers only watch what they want to watch, and you only pay for interested viewers. Win-win.
Want to know more? Read on as we take a closer look at YouTube’s TrueView adverts:
Types of TrueView Ads
There are two different types of TrueView Adverts:
1. TrueView In-Stream Adverts
If you’ve used YouTube in the past, you’ll be familiar with in-stream adverts (formerly known as in-display adverts). These ads play before or during a video from a YouTube partner. They are opt-in ads – a concept which people seem to love. After 5 seconds, you choose to skip the advert or continue watching.
If you’ve ever skipped a YouTube ad before (let’s face it – who hasn’t?), your excitement levels might be waning at this point. Nobody watches those adverts, right?
Wrong! According to a study by Think with Google, 9 out of 10 viewers think TrueView ads create a better video viewing environment, while only 10% of people choose to always skip these ads. VideoNuze.com is a fan too, claiming that the abandonment rate for skippable ads is 18% lower than its counterpart.
Most importantly, the advertiser is only charged if the user chooses to watch 30 seconds of the video (or the duration if it’s shorter than 30 seconds) or interacts with your video. As a result, advertisers only pay when somebody is actually interested in their advert. It’s a win-win – for the advertiser and the viewer. A huge percentage of uninterested viewers are weened out – such as people who’ve already seen the ad – resulting in a more targeted audience and better conversion in comparison to non-skippable adverts. Basically, more bang for your buck!
2. TrueView Video Discovery Adverts
TrueView discovery ads are ideal for – you guessed it – discovery. So, for users who are searching for content. They’ll come across a discovery ad in YouTube’s search results, a watched page, the site’s homepage or on the Google Display Network.
If, for example, a user is searching for DIY tips on YouTube, an advert for your business’s how-to video could feature in the search results. They are leaning in your direction already, resulting in a more captive and open audience. In fact, according to Google, TrueView discovery ads drive over 5x more clicks on advertiser-provided calls to action than TrueView in-stream.
Advertisers are charged if anybody clicks on the ad, so there isn’t a 30 second test drive. While you won’t need such a high-impact delivery as an in-steam advert, a snore-fest won’t do the trick either. It’s just as important to keep people engaged and deliver on your adverts promise without delay.
For more information about discovery ads, watch this video:
Which advert, when?
So, with both in-stream and discovery introduced, which would work best for you?
With in-stream, the number of impressions is going to be high, making this this ideal option for general top-of-the-funnel, brand awareness videos. They work especially well for high-impact videos that peak the viewer’s interest in the first 5 seconds.
Discovery ads are better suited for middle-of-the-funnel content – ideal for videos with a softer delivery, such as a how-to video.
Need help with a YouTube advertising campaign?
If you’d like to learn more about advertising on YouTube, get in touch with the team here at Fluid Digital. We can talk you through the options and show how your brand could benefit from a tailored YouTube advertising strategy. We can also help with Google AdWords, Bing Ads and Facebook Ads – check out our PPC services for a closer look.