Every month, about 1.9 billion logged-in users visit YouTube. That’s a mind-blowing number of people who are watching not only videos but also advertisements. And that’s why Google’s video campaigns can be incredibly successful – because they have the potential to reach a significant audience.
Fortunately for you, video campaigns aren’t that complicated. There are five different types of ads that you can place on YouTube. As you explore each one, you can determine which might be best for your organization.
The Five Types of Bumper Ads
- In-Stream Ads: These typically play before a YouTube video starts, and users can choose to skip them after about five seconds. That being said, you need to feature your branding message in those first few seconds.
- In-Feed Video Ads: You typically see these on the top or side of YouTube videos, and they don’t have options for skipping. They’re static and can use longer-form content, like half-hour or hour-long videos, so they’re great for promoting a sermon series or a similar product.
- Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads: These show up before a YouTube video, but – like the name suggests – the user doesn’t have the opportunity to skip. However, they only need to last about 15-30 seconds. Be sure your brand message hits very early in the video so your customers will remember it.
- Out-Stream Ads: These advertisements can be a little shorter, and they are really suited for brand awareness. We typically don’t use or recommend them because they are so short. How can you introduce your sermon series, devotionals, or any content in less than six seconds?
- Bumper Ads: These six-second video ads appear on YouTube videos, across website and apps running on Google Video partners. Bumper ads give you a little less visibility due to the channels upon which they appear and the keywords associated with them. That’s why we typically stay away from this type unless we’re doing a big brand awareness campaign.
Tips for Creating a Video Ads Campaign
Keep two things in mind when creating video ad campaigns. First, evaluate your content. Do you want to promote an hour-long video of a sermon so people will subscribe and engage? Or, do you plan to publish a very short video to help spread awareness of your organization? Make sure you choose the right kind of ad that will suit your content and help reach your end goal.
Secondly, think through your thumbnails. As you’re shooting and producing videos, try and identify a small screengrab that doesn’t have too much text and doesn’t contain an image of someone making a funny face. Pick a thumbnail image that seems approachable but also conveys the message of your video.
No doubt YouTube seems daunting to many people, but out of all the ads in the Google Network, video ads are by far the easiest to create. They don’t require much effort or targeting, and you get the best results from content you’re already developing.
If you would like to know about other types of Google ads, check out my Dunham Institute course, How To: Google Ads.
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