Have you ever been watching a video on YouTube and suddenly been interrupted by an ad? Or maybe you’ve seen ads while browsing through your favorite channels. Well, have you ever wondered how do YouTube ads actually work?
Advertising on YouTube is an often overlooked, yet a very quick and simple way to increase your exposure, drive insane amounts of traffic to your website, and stand out in the market.
YouTube is the most popular online video community, so you need to promote your online business there!
- 6 billion people use YouTube per month according to Statista.
- A majority of YouTube traffic is international (outside the US).
- YouTube is available in 80 different languages in over 100 countries.
- More than 70% of YouTube watch time comes from mobile devices.
- You will have instant access to thousands of “mobile-searchers”.
Never before has it been so simple to convert viewers into customers and draw in new clients with just one effective viral marketing campaign.
Additionally, YouTube advertising is very cost-effective and simple to set up, even for those on a tight budget.
In this article, we’ll go over how to quickly set up your very first advertisement and drive immediate traffic to your website.
I’ll even show you how to put your ad in front of your competition’s customers to maximize click-through rates and crush them.
Let’s begin!
What are YouTube ads?
YouTube ads are a form of online advertising that businesses use to promote their products or services.
These ads appear on YouTube videos and can be in the form of pre-roll, mid-roll, or post-roll ads.
Pre-roll ads are shown before the video starts, mid-roll ads during the video, and post-roll ads at the end of the video.
To create a YouTube ad campaign, you will need to have a Google Ads account and link it with your YouTube channel.
You then choose your target audience based on factors such as age, gender, location, interests and keywords.
The cost of YouTube ads depends on bidding for ad placement in an auction-based system where advertisers bid against each other.
YouTube also offers various types of targeting options such as demographic targeting which will allow you to reach people based on their age range or gender identity.
Interest targeting enables you to show your ad to people interested in specific topics like music or fashion, while behavioral targeting allows you to target users based on past behavior such as search history or website visits.
Do YouTube ads Actually Work?
YouTube ads can appear before, during or after a video and can be in the form of skippable or non-skippable ads.
Skippable ads give viewers the option to skip the ad after five seconds while non-skippable ads must be watched in full.
To create an effective YouTube ad, you will need to understand your target audience and create content that will resonate with them.
You will also need to choose the right targeting options such as demographics, interests, and behaviors so they can reach the right people at the right time.
While there is no guarantee that every YouTube ad will be successful, studies have shown that they can be highly effective when done correctly.
According to Google, 70% of viewers bought from a brand after seeing it on YouTube and 90% of those said they discovered new products or services on the platform.
Additionally, advertisers who use video action ads saw an average conversion rate increase of 150%.
Now back to the question at hand: Do YouTube ads actually work?
The answer depends on various factors such as ad placement, targeting options, and creative execution.
If done correctly, YouTube ads can be highly effective in driving brand awareness and conversions.
However, if not targeted properly or executed poorly, they may end up being skipped or ignored by viewers altogether – which would result in wasted ad spend for the business owner.
Why Should You Advertise on YouTube?
Let’s take a quick look at why YouTube is such a potent tool for marketing before you create your very first ad there.
It can help you create a highly targeted customer base and drive tons of targeted traffic to your offers and websites.
If you have ever used video in your marketing campaigns, then it’s likely that you are already aware of the strength that video-based promotions provide.
It assists you in making a strong, direct connection with your target audience that “conventional” marketing cannot match.
Additionally, videos can quickly go viral, which means that you can easily reach thousands of new customers on an automatic basis by using the power of network sharing and word-of-mouth advertising.
Remember that videos can help you communicate your message in a way that will evoke strong emotions, hit on emotional “hot spots,” and tap into buyer-driven “triggers” to elicit the desired response.
To put it another way, video marketing is a much more sophisticated, effective, and direct way to establish a recognizable (and memorable) brand, engage your audience, and entertain your market.
Simply put, no other source of traffic comes close to matching the potential of a well-designed video marketing campaign.
Using video to advertise…
- Keeps your audience interested
- Expands your clientele
- Connects with potential customers
- Promotes awareness, respect, and trust
So, don’t you think it’s time for you to launch your own effective video marketing campaign to position your business in front of a global market.
How to Make Money with YouTube Ads
YouTube Ads are a great way to earn money by monetizing your YouTube channel. However, before diving into how to make money with YouTube ads, it’s vital to understand how they work.
YouTube allows content creators to display ads on their videos and make money through the Google AdSense program.
When someone clicks on or views an ad, the creator earns a portion of the revenue generated from that click or view.
To start earning money with YouTube ads, you will need to first enable monetization on your channel by meeting the eligibility criteria set by YouTube.
This includes having at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months. Once you have met these requirements, you can apply for the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) and start running ads on your videos.
Once approved for monetization, you can place ads on your videos using various ad formats such as pre-roll ads (ads shown before the video starts), mid-roll ads (ads shown during longer videos) and overlay ads (ads displayed as banners over the video).
It’s important to note that not all ad formats may be available for every video depending on factors like viewer demographics and other variables that determine advertiser demand.
The amount of money you can earn through YouTube ads depends on various factors such as the number of views, engagement rate, niche audience etc., but typically creators earn $2-$5 per 1000 views on average.
By consistently producing quality content that attracts viewership from a specific group or niche audience over time will help you increase earnings as well as build a successful brand on your channel.
How do YouTube Ads Pay?
YouTube ads pay based on the format and pricing model used by advertisers.
Advertisers can choose from several ad formats, including bumper ads, sponsored cards, and skippable video ads. The pricing model and format determines how much they pay for each ad.
Some advertisers choose cost-per-click (CPC), which means they only pay when a viewer clicks on their ad.
Others opt for cost-per-impression (CPM), where they pay for every thousand views of their ad.
Additionally, some advertisers may use an engagement-based pricing model where they only pay when a viewer interacts with their ad.
Google AdSense is the primary method of payment for YouTube ads… And YouTube ads pay based on views and clicks received by advertisers who bid for placement on videos.
Creators can also earn money through sponsorships and brand deals with companies looking to advertise their products or services through influencers.
These types of deals typically pay more than traditional pre-roll ads but require a larger audience size and higher engagement rates to secure them.
Different Types of Ads on YouTube
As mentioned, YouTube ads come in different types, each with its unique characteristics and target audience. The most common type of ad is the pre-roll ad, which appears before a video starts playing.
These ads are usually 15-30 seconds long and can be skipped after five seconds by the viewer. Pre-roll ads can come in various formats, such as skippable ads, non-skippable ads, bumper ads, and overlay ads.
Another type of YouTube ad is the display ad, which appears on the right-hand sidebar or below the video player while watching a video.
Display ads come in different sizes and are often used to promote products or services related to the content of the video being watched.
Lastly, YouTube also offers sponsored content called influencer marketing campaigns. Brands work with YouTube creators to create sponsored videos that promote their products or services to their audience.
These types of ads are more subtle than traditional advertisements but can effectively reach targeted audiences.
Overall, understanding these different types of YouTube ads is crucial for those looking to advertise on the platform effectively.
By selecting an appropriate format based on your goals and target audience, you can create engaging ads that resonate with your viewers all while achieving your marketing objectives.
How To Start Advertising on YouTube
There are only 4 differnet steps needed to advertise on YouTube:
1. Create a Google Ads account
To start advertising on YouTube, the first step is to create a Google Ads account.
This will give you access to the platform’s advertising tools. You can then link your YouTube channel to your Google Ads account and select the video you want to promote.
2. Create your YouTube video
This takes up the most time because you want to make sure that your video is well-designed, entertaining, and has the best sound and clarity possible.
Depending on who you are trying to reach, “amateur” style videos may do better than polished ones that look overly professional.
It’s crucial to understand your target audience and how they typically respond… Grab a camera, and either record the video yourself, or have someone else do it.
Of course, if you think it will resonate with your audience, you can also think about making an entirely digital animation style video.
3. Submit your YouTube video
Submitting your YouTube video is just the first step towards building a successful channel… Once you have created and uploaded your content, you need to make sure that people see it.
Advertise it to the appropriate viewers using Google AdWords for video. Only when viewers decide to watch your video will you be charged.
4. Promote your YouTube video.
You must link your video account to Google Adwords in order to promote your video within the YouTube community.
You can set a budget, target your ads, and put them on autopilot with Adwords, a performance-based advertising channel.
The type of ad format you choose will depend on your goals and budget. Skippable ads allow viewers to skip the ad after five seconds, while non-skippable ads must be watched in full before the video can be viewed.
Bumper ads are six-second videos that cannot be skipped and are designed for quick brand awareness campaigns.
Sponsored cards appear within the video player as a small teaser for related content elsewhere on YouTube or as an approved website link.
How To Run YouTube Ads Step-by-Step Tutorial
Target The Right Audience
Targeting buyers rather than just viewers is necessary if you want your videos to convert.
To accomplish that, you should use Google Adwords’ demographic targeting options to connect with your target market.
Advertising based on keywords, age groups, gender, location, or language is one example of this.
Without ad-targeting, you are essentially advertising “blindly,” with no way of knowing whether the appropriate audience is even seeing your ads.
Your ads will be seen (and even clicked on) by people who have no real interest in what you have to offer if you fail to target them, which will cost you dearly.
Therefore, take the time to customize your ads to your audience by identifying specific demographics so you can quickly reach your clientele.
It is very simple to set up YouTube advertising through Google Video Ads because you can select from a variety of comprehensive options that will enable you to more effectively target your audience.
This comprises of:
- Advertising based on keywords
- Categories of interests
- Subjects & Placements
- Population statistics
- Social concerns
Overall, understanding how to target the right audience on YouTube can greatly improve the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns and help you make more money from ad revenue.
How to Create a YouTube Ads Campaign
Increasing Exposure to Your Video Ads
With Google video ads, you can advertise on both the Google Display Network, which consists of millions of individual websites and reaches over 89% of the online population, and YouTube, the top online video community.
To increase exposure to your YouTube video ads, consider targeting a niche audience that is likely to be interested in your product or service. You can also optimize your ad for specific keywords and use eye-catching visuals to grab viewers’ attention.
Another effective way to increase exposure is by collaborating with popular YouTubers or influencers who have a large following within your target market. This allows you to tap into their audience and gain more visibility for your brand.
Imagine having your advertisement displayed on millions of websites throughout the Internet!
Not only will you be able to enter any niche market you choose, but you’ll also be able to develop a distinctive brand that clients will recognize right away.
Spread your marketing message quickly, introduce new clients to you, and widely publicize your video marketing campaigns.
How YouTube Ads can Promote Your Video
Closing Thoughts
Keep in mind, you must motivate your audience to act if you want your video campaigns to be successful… You accomplish this by overlaying a “Call-to-Action” on your video.
This call-to-action overlay can simply say, “Click Here Now!” or you can use it to share more details about your business with your audience or to present them with an irresistible offer (Free products, discounts, coupons, etc.).
Knowing your audience is essential for maximizing profits, so it’s critical to monitor both the success of your video and WHO is seeing your advertisements (especially helpful if you are still in the process of surveying and researching your market base).
Within your Google advertising account, you can quickly gain useful insights about your video campaigns, such as how long viewers watch your videos for, what they do when they leave, and other crucial demographic data that will help you better understand your target audience and develop effective video campaigns.
All in all, making money off of YouTube ads may seem like a daunting task at first, it is definitely possible with discipline and dedication.
By creating quality content that resonates with your audience and following YouTube’s guidelines for monetization, you can turn your passion for creating videos into a profitable venture.
