Posted by Hey there, fellow content conquerors! Have you ever scrolled through YouTube, watched those snazzy ads, and thought, ‘Hey, I could totally do that’? Well, guess what? You absolutely can, and today’s your day to shine! Welcome to the ultimate guide on how to Get Started Running YouTube Ads.
Whether you’re a makeup maven, a tech whiz, a comedy guru, or just a curious creator, diving into the world of YouTube ads can be a game-changer for your channel.
Did you know?
- Over two billion users log in to YouTube every month.
- YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world.
With statistics like these, it is easy to see why this giant video streaming site is a preferred platform for businesses looking to reach their goals through advertising.
Get ready to unravel the mystery, crack the code, and turn your content into captivating ads that viewers can’t resist.
Let’s get started!
Check out this link for more tricks and tips to boost your YouTube channel.
Types of YouTube Ads
One of the first things you want to know is that there are different kinds of YouTube ads to achieve various purposes. Let’s look at a few of them so you can also identify the best for you.
- Skippable In-Stream Ads: These ads appear before, during, or after the main video content. Viewers can skip the ad after 5 seconds.
- Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads: These ads are similar to skippable in-stream ads, but unlike the skippable ones, viewers cannot skip this one. They can be up to 15 seconds in length.
- Bumper Ads: Bumper ads are short, non-skippable ads that appear before the main video and are limited to 6 seconds long.
- Outstream Ads: Outstream ads are designed for mobile devices and only appear on partner websites and apps outside the YouTube platform.
- In-feed Ads: This unique ad was previously known as the Video Discovery ad (distinct from Discovery campaigns); it doesn’t qualify as a traditional video ad. It’s a method to have YouTube recommend your video in search results and the “watch next” segment.
- Masthead Ads: These premium ads appear at the top of the YouTube homepage on both desktop and mobile. They are often displayed for 24 hours.
- Overlay Ads: These semi-transparent ads appear at the bottom of the video and can be closed by viewers.
Each type of ad serves unique purposes and targets different viewer behaviors.
How to Run YouTube Ads
Below are the steps involved in running a YouTube ad. These processes assume you already have a Google Ads account and have linked it to your YouTube account. If you haven’t, that should be the first thing you should do.
Set Up Ad Campaign
The first step to creating your ad campaign is to open your Google Ads Manager and click New Campaign. A new window will open, asking you, “What’s your campaign objective?” At this point, you can choose any which fits your goals best. Alternatively, select “Create a campaign without a goal’s guidance.”
Choose Your Ad Campaign Type and Subtype
Once the first step is done, you’ll be prompted to choose your ad campaign type and its subsequent subtype. At this point, select the Video type. The subtype that will appear will depend on the objectives of your ad. There are about four campaign subtypes to choose from:
- Custom Video Campaign
- Non-skippable in-stream
- Drive conversions
- Ad sequence
If you need help deciding which to choose, a Custom Video Campaign subtype is one of the best options to help you custom-create your ad.
Set Bidding Strategy
Next, you need to set your bidding strategy. The choices available at this point vary based on your chosen campaign subtype. For instance, in a Custom Video Campaign, the bid alternatives consist of Maximum CPV (cost per view) or Target CPM (cost per thousand impressions). Choose the one that best aligns with the purposes of your ad campaign.
Choose Your Networks
Choosing a Display Network is the next in sequence. If you typically prefer to avoid having Search partners and Display Networks on your Search campaigns, you should deselect Video partners within the Display network.
However, specific campaign subtypes might not allow you to deselect certain ad options.
Choose Exclusions
Selecting content exclusions involves choosing specific content types or categories where you don’t want your ads to appear. When done correctly, this feature allows you to control where your ads are shown, thus ensuring brand safety and relevance.
You can opt for Limited Inventory if you have significant concerns about your ads appearing near potentially sensitive content. If you’re indifferent about such, selecting Expanded inventory can provide access to more placements, possibly at a lower cost due to reduced competition.
Set Targeting
At this point, you want to define your ad’s audience. This critical step allows you to show your ad to people who are likely more interested in your offer.
The campaign targeting option has two main options: people and content. The people command allows you to target your ad based on the kind of videos your audience is watching. You can target your audience based on demographics and other Google audience segments.
Content targeting, on the other hand, targets audiences based on topics, keywords, or placements.
- Keyword targeting will show your ads with content related to those keywords. Keyword targeting is an excellent choice for in-feed ads as they usually show in search results.
- Placement targeting allows you to display your ads on specific YouTube channels and videos.
- Topic targeting allows your ad to be displayed next to videos that contain a specific topic. For instance, “Fashion Tips” or “Programming.”
Create Ad
Lastly, the moment has arrived to publish and launch your advertisement. This involves uploading the video to your channel. If you have concerns about the video becoming visible while unprepared, you can easily designate it as “Unlisted” instead of “Public.”
After selecting the campaign subtype and target URL, choose between creating a skippable in-stream ad (standard) or an in-feed video ad (thumbnail with description) based on your campaign objectives.
Review and Launch
Now that you are done with everything. It’s time to review and launch your ad. At this crucial stage, you want to ensure everything is perfect before going live.
Carefully scrutinize your selected campaign goals, budget, targeting options, and ad creatives. Verify the chosen bid strategy aligns with your objectives. Confirm that ad placements and exclusions align with your brand’s image. Once confident, click the “Launch” button to set your campaign live.
Monitor and Optimize
That your ads are running doesn’t mean you should hit the snooze button. No. You must actively monitor and measure your campaign’s performance and take necessary steps to adjust and improve the outcome.
Analyze critical metrics like views, click-through rates, and conversions, and identify areas that need optimization. To prevent exhaustion and being overwhelmed by data, you can pick one reach metric (views, impressions, clicks) and one efficiency metric (view-through rate, cost per view, click-through rate, etc.).
Using Google Ads reporting tools, you can gain valuable insight into your campaign’s progress and improve it accordingly.
Factors to Consider When Choosing YouTube Ad Format
Here are some important considerations you need to keep in mind when creating your ad:
- Length: The length of your video ad can vary, but typically, a “view” is recorded at the earlier 30-second mark or the end of the video. Bumper ads last six seconds, skippable in-stream ads for thirty seconds, and non-skippable in-stream ads for fifteen seconds.
- Skippable ads: Would you like your ad to be skippable? Shorter ads, like Bumper ads, are typically non-skippable.
- Sound: Would you like the sound to be on automatically or not? Typically, almost 95% of YouTube ads start with sound on. Nonetheless, Mastheads and out-stream ads begin with sound off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many views do you need to start YouTube ads?
Typically, you need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours (views) on your YouTube channel within the past 12 months to be eligible to enable ads through the YouTube Partner Program.
How much does it cost to run a YouTube ad?
The cost to run a YouTube ad ranges from $0.10 to $0.30 per view or click. The differences are based on ad format, targeting, competition, and budget.
Do I get paid if my YouTube video has ads?
Yes, you get paid for your video if it has ads. This shows that you are part of the YouTube Partner Program and can earn a share of the ad revenue generated from your video. The amount you make depends on factors like ad type, viewer engagement, and advertiser bids.
Conclusion
YouTube, the massive video-sharing platform, will likely survive and thrive for the foreseeable future. It will continue to attract companies and businesses that want to use its broad reach and precise targeting to run its ads. Simply put, it is expected to continue generating enormous amounts of money and income.
To take advantage of this source of income and wealth, you must be an expert in ad creation. By following the steps outlined in this article, you’ll be well on your way to generating income for yourself via ads as your channel becomes more popular.