YouTube is a great place to reach users but can we use it to find potentially relevant audiences outside of their video watching experience? Cue: YouTube Video Discovery Ads, also known as in-feed video ads. As part of our Unboxed: YouTube Advertising series, we will be introducing this format, and it is best used for.
Video Discovery Ads allow us to promote content in places of discovery, including next to related YouTube videos, as part of a YouTube search result, or on the YouTube mobile homepage.
The format works by serving a thumbnail image from your video with text. This is presented to users in a dynamic form, where the exact size and appearance of the ad varies depending on where it appears. Video discovery ads are meant to invite people to click to watch your video which then plays the YouTube watch page or channel homepage. This is best used to drive product of brand consideration.
Cost Model: CPC (when someone clicks on your video!)
When should I use YouTube Video Discovery format?
- For this format, you are only charged when viewers choose to watch your ad by clicking on the thumbnail.
- This is useful if you want to maximise your dollar where you are charged only for users that have an intent to know more about your brand or product.
- With reach or action-focused campaigns, you pay on a CPM basis as the platform optimises towards your conversion point. This allows efficiency of impressions as the platform focuses on paying for impressions when it needs. (Find out more about it here)
- This format is also useful when you don’t have a clear goal in mind and just want to pay meaningfully for users who could be interested in your product. (The platform allows you to use this ad format when you choose “Create a campaign without a goal guidance”.)
While less commonly used and thought of, video discovery ads serve as a viable alternative to find relevant audiences on YouTube, outside of the standard video-watching environment.
Can we use YouTube to reach users outside of YouTube? We’ll be discussing that in future posts as well.
You may also read up more about Video in-stream here.
