For advertisers looking to get it right, this YouTube data report offers several key insights as well as an action plan. In it, you will find YouTube campaign data for five key retail days: Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Some of the most surprising findings? YouTube advertisers aren’t following the money when it comes to optimizing their holiday campaigns and are ignoring parents — a crucial audience during this important time of the year.

Based on this evidence, here’s how advertisers can do better.

Why Mom and Dad should matter to YouTube advertisers

Parents engage with YouTube ads more than non-parents do during the holidays, our data shows. In spite of this, advertisers invest more budget trying to reach non-parents for most of the season.

Parents are also big spenders. Overall, shoppers invest $900 on holiday gifts, but parents alone dish out $422 per child, with some spending more than $500. And when it comes to online shopping, parents spend on average 61% more than non-parents do.

So why are YouTube advertisers focused on parents mostly just around Thanksgiving and Black Friday? It appears due to the assumption that parents have all their shopping wrapped up very early in the season.

To the contrary: 68% of people start purchasing gifts after November, according to the National Retail Federation.

View rates drop closer to Christmas, but parents still have the edge

While it’s true that overall view rates do drop at this time in the year, parents still outperform non-parents. Parents also display higher click-through rates for all of the five days we analyzed.

Improve your YouTube targeting

So, if you’re a YouTube advertiser wanting to get more bang for your buck this season, we offer several suggestions to help tweak your strategies. Download your free YouTube holiday data report now to learn:

• What days to specifically target each audience segment
• Which audience you should be focused on based on your industry
• The day when most advertisers are really missing the mark
• When and how you should be spending your money

The post YouTube holiday data report: Parents ignored by advertisers appeared first on Strike Social.

When we talk about social media advertising, our advice is clear: Listen to the data. Still, because many advertisers don’t understand how each platform works, they make a lot of mistakes in planning their campaigns.

Take YouTube as an example. The platform reaches 81% of all Americans on the internet, with younger folks making up the majority. But what may surprise many is that baby boomers are actually more likely to watch your ads. That’s right, this older generation registers view rates 10% higher than millennials (compare 31.2% for boomers to 28.3% for millennials).

In our latest data report, “YouTube’s Generational Divide,” we examined a year’s worth of YouTube campaigns across 25 industries in the U.S. to understand how each generation engages with YouTube ads. Here’s what we found.

Baby boomers watch and spend more

First, despite having higher engagement rates, boomers are not being targeted on YouTube as often as their younger peers. Instead, advertisers allocate disproportionately more budget to millennials (156% more) and Gen Xers (137% more).

But it’s not just that this older audience engages more with YouTube ads — it’s that boomers spend more too. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, boomers account for 48% of consumer expenses each year, which means that if you target them, you can expect a higher ROI.

Baby boomers watch ads everywhere

Another thing our report debunks: the notion that older generations reject new technology. To the contrary, we found that boomers registered higher view rates across all devices (desktop, mobile and tablet) compared to both millennials and Gen Xers.

The possibilities to reach boomers on YouTube are limitless. They watch more ads than anyone else on every device and have greater purchasing power to pursue their interests.

So how can you reach baby boomers on YouTube?

Now that you know this older generation is ripe for the picking, you need an action plan. The right strategy considers what sort of brands perform best with boomers, targets the devices where they engage the most and selects topics of high interest.

Download our free data report now to:

• Get insights on the topics that attract every major generation on YouTube, including millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers.
• See a list of the 14 industries boomers engage with the most, along with cost-per-view and view rates.
• Access a step-by-step guide to creating a customized plan to target boomers on YouTube.

The post Data report: The audience every advertiser is missing on YouTube appeared first on Strike Social.

YouTube advertising metrics without context are just numbers: meaningless and self-congratulatory. Sure, you can (and should) compare your performance over time to know the success of one campaign from the next. But how do you know how you compare to your competitors? Enter the YouTube ad benchmark report from Strike Social.

Download our full YouTube data report now to dive in.

In this report, we analyzed YouTube campaign results from the past year to determine the average view rate, cost-per-view and view click-through rate across 25 industries. We also looked at different metrics around age, month, gender and more to give you the complete picture of what’s happening in the world of YouTube advertising.

Average YouTube CPV, view rate and click-through rate by industry

Across all industries, the average CPV is $0.044, with a VR of 27.7%. Most industries have a balanced VR, but CPV varies significantly from vertical to vertical.

Is there an age bias among YouTube advertisers?

YouTube is often viewed as a vehicle to reach younger audiences. While it’s definitely true that young audiences are engaged on YouTube, so are older audiences. In fact, audiences that are 45+ have a higher VR than those under 45.

How does your brand stack up against other YouTube advertisers?

It’s important to note that benchmarks shouldn’t be the end-all comparison point for your campaigns. They can, however, help take the pulse of your current results while identifying areas for improvement. Perhaps more could be invested in targeting older audiences. Maybe you need to rethink that mobile-first ad strategy. Start by immersing yourself in the data, and discover some truly actionable insights.

The post 2017 YouTube advertising benchmarks appeared first on Strike Social.

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This post was updated in November 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

Level Up Your YouTube Video Game Advertising Strategy

Every minute, more than 500 hours of content are uploaded to the YouTube app, solidifying its position as one of the largest video advertising platforms. Among this content is a thriving YouTube Gaming section, showcasing the massive influence of gaming on the platform.

If you want to scale your video game advertising on YouTube while maximizing your ad spend, this blog has all the insights you need.

Gaming Ads on YouTube Faux Pas

What are gaming advertisers getting wrong?

When investing in video game ads, many advertisers make the mistake of either targeting too broadly—focusing on the general “gamer” interest—or too narrowly, honing in on sub-niches like “first-person gamers” and leaving their campaigns at that. However, audiences on YouTube consume far more than just gaming content.

Here are the most common missteps brands make when launching game advertisement campaigns on YouTube:

Only Targeting “Gaming” Interest Audiences

Focusing solely on audiences with gaming-related interests may seem like a straightforward strategy for gaming advertisers. However, this approach can limit your reach and miss out on the diverse video content available on YouTube.

What YouTube Gaming Advertising Brands Should Do:

Expand Targeting Strategies

• Utilize audience segments and contextual targeting to reach related interests beyond gaming. Consider targeting categories like tech reviews, mobile gadgets, anime and manga, and comics and animation, which overlap with gaming audiences.
• Further, use Custom Audiences based on users’ search and viewing history, allowing you to engage individuals actively exploring gaming or related topics.

Optimize for Seasonal Trends

• Be familiar with the seasons and optimize your strategies accordingly to reach audiences’ interests at certain periods of the year. 
• For example, during major events like the Super Bowl, target not just sports fans but also non-sports audiences, as they can be equally engaged and relevant.

Recognize that YouTube audiences often consume a mix of content. A user who visits YouTube for gaming content might end up watching tech reviews or exploring gadget releases—and vice versa. Capitalize on this behavior by broadening your targeting to match these collective interests.

It’s Not Just A Men’s Game

While men do represent a significant portion of gamers, this perspective overlooks a substantial female audience. In fact, Statista reports that women represent 48% of the gaming population in the U.S., making them a key target for video game advertising on YouTube.

Moreover, Strike Social’s data shows women have a higher monthly view rate than men throughout the year. Women displayed better results as early as May, when their VR was 38%, while men’s was lower, at 30%.

What YouTube Gaming Brands Should Do:

The gaming community is inclusive, and both genders should be considered when setting up your video game ad campaigns. Thus, there’s no need to exclude women from your YouTube targeting demographic.

From a creative standpoint, while much of the content still caters to male gamers, the portrayal of women has evolved. Today, female characters are complex and capable, moving away from outdated “damsel in distress” tropes. Women are growing as a strong and diverse community in gaming, making them a vital audience for your YouTube gaming ads.

Ignoring Seasonal and Peak Periods

Many video game marketing campaigns fail to adjust strategies according to seasonal trends or peak shopping periods, leading to missed opportunities during high-traffic times.

How to Optimize Your YouTube Gaming Ads:

Pace your campaigns with increased budgets toward peak shopping periods such as Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. Simply pacing your campaigns steadily throughout the year could result in missing out on valuable ad auctions during these peaks.

Holiday views increase by 24% year-over-year, making it essential to tailor your strategy accordingly. Start planning your holiday advertising timeline as early as September to build awareness. As you move into Q4, gradually shift your audience strategy to focus more on traffic and conversion campaigns to maximize results during the peak season.

How to Improve Your YouTube Video Game Advertising Plan

The YouTube Gaming community is rapidly growing, presenting more opportunities for your video game ads to shine. As of 2022, there are already over 443,000 gaming channels, and with the rise of mobile games, new PlayStation versions, and expanding gaming trends, this number is only expected to increase.

To succeed, the goal is not just to place your YouTube video game advertising campaigns on top channels like Mikecrack, Gameranx, or even MrBeast’s Gaming Channel. To make your ads stand out across various placements, here’s how you can level up your YouTube gaming advertising game:

Catch them in the Right Scenarios and Timing

YouTube views peak during the week between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., with Friday being the most popular day for video consumption. However, viewership tends to drop over the weekend, making timing a critical factor in your YouTube ad strategy.

You can adjust your campaigns to ensure your ads are shown during these hours. Consider partnering with a YouTube advertising agency for 24/7 campaign optimization, to better adjust bids during these peak times and reach more audiences at the best costs.

YouTube app placements are also evolving on larger screens, like YouTube TV, and are gaining popularity. Monitor your YouTube Analytics to track TV watch time and views, and consider incorporating Connected TV (CTV) placements into your strategy. CTV offers an effective way to increase viewer engagement, making it a valuable addition to your YouTube video game advertising plan.

Switch Up the Ad Formats

While video game ads have traditionally been in horizontal format, the YouTube Shorts format, now extended to up to 3 minutes, is an exciting option for advertisers. For a holiday campaign, advertising in YouTube Shorts certainly did not disappoint in performance, as it contributed to 43% of views distribution during peak U.S. holiday season. 

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Further Reading

YouTube Advertising Formats – How And Where Viewers See Your Brand

YouTube offers a range of ad formats to cater to different viewing experiences, giving you multiple ways to showcase your video game ad campaigns and maximize engagement.

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Line Up the Players with the Right Targeting

As we reiterated earlier, don’t limit your audience targeting to just specific groups, such as only men or gaming interests and keywords. That being said, it shouldn’t be too broad either, resulting in your YouTube gaming ads appearing everywhere without reaching the right people.

While gaming appeals to all ages, be cautious not to include YouTube Kids’ channels in your ad distribution.

When refining your targeting strategy, aim for a balanced approach that combines audience and contextual targeting. A well-refined, diverse audience ensures your ads reach engaged viewers, helping you avoid paying for irrelevant impressions.

Download the Video View Campaigns Case Study

Learn how an HVAC brand, though not part of the sports sector, effectively reached sports audiences and relevant content with the help of Strike Social’s advanced YouTube targeting and campaign optimization techniques.

Download the report

Upgrade Your YouTube Video Game Advertising Plan

Even if you’re a ‘noob’ in YouTube advertising, implementing these strategies will undoubtedly level up your game.

While many media teams are winding down, the best video game ads are just getting started. So make sure you have a plan to optimize your YouTube campaigns around the clock. Campaign management may seem like a grind, but with the right video ad management team, the process can be streamlined and made more efficient.

Get in touch with our team to know more about how Strike Social can help upgrade your video game advertising on YouTube.

The post A Guide to Video Game Advertising On YouTube appeared first on Strike Social.

What was once an issue mostly contained to the UK is now being recognized on a global scale: ads appearing next to questionable — and sometimes even unsafe — content online. Over the past week, Google released a series of statements for better control over where advertisers’ videos appear. These expanded safeguards are designed to prevent ads from appearing with “content that doesn’t align with (the advertiser’s) values.”

Immediate actions for brand safety

There are a variety of ways to help control where your ads appear. Used together, these tools can go a long way in safeguarding your ads from being aligned with any harmful content.

• Site-specific exclusions
• Channel-specific exclusions
• Video topic exclusions
• Keyword exclusions
• Category exclusions

Strike Social employs a continuously updated master list, using all of the above controls that are currently available. These controls are leveraged with each campaign we run to ensure our clients’ ads are only served along brand-safe content. Additional restrictions are put into place depending on each brand’s guidelines.

Ad policy changes

On March 21, 2017, Google announced that it would be expanding its current safeguards for advertisers. Part of this change was increased accountability around ad policies.

Tougher stance on unsafe content

Google says it is increasing its scrutiny around “hateful, offensive and derogatory content,” which includes “removing ads more effectively from content that is attacking or harassing people based on their race, religion, gender or similar categories.” Along with tightening partner standards, Google will be updating its community guidelines. This change will not only further restrict what content can be monetized but also what content can even be posted on YouTube.

Tightened restrictions on YouTube Partner eligibility

The YouTube Partner Program lets creators monetize their channels. Part of the eligibility for this program is the need for quality, advertiser-friendlycontent that complies with YouTube’s terms of service and community guidelines.

Google will be tightening standards on this program to ensure only legitimate, complying creators are able to include ads alongside their videos.

Expanded brand safety controls

Expanded default exclusions

This change will restrict what type of content ads can appear on by default. It will exclude “potentially objectionable content.” If advertisers wish, they can remove some of the default restrictions by opting in to advertising on broader types of content.

Simplified and enhanced exclusion management

Account-level controls are being introduced in order to make sweeping changes to where ads can appear. This will increase the ease at which advertisers can manage brand safety standards for campaigns running on AdWords for Video and Google Display Network. By managing general exclusions on an account level, this change will ensure consistency across all campaigns and allow further exclusions to be made quickly. Additional “more fine-tuned controls” will be put into place to enable advertisers to become more selective about where their ads are displayed.

Ensuring your brand is safe

Leveraging these current controls — combined with Google’s rapid response to flagged content (98% of which is reviewed within 24 hours) — should allay many advertisers’ concerns. Google’s increased focus on the issue also leaves less room for error. Investing in the time and resources to create a comprehensive set of exclusions will mitigate the risks of ads appearing next to unsafe videos even further. As a final step, Strike Social can apply Google-approved, third-party tracking tags that measure brand safety.

The post Addressing brand safety measures for Google advertising appeared first on Strike Social.