Three years after YouTube’s Video Action Campaigns were introduced, a new YouTube Video Ad Format emerged: Video View Campaigns. This video-views-centric ad format revolves around maximizing video views and offers advertisers a refreshing opportunity to engage with their audience. The best part? It’s open to every media buyer, making it an inclusive choice for those seeking to boost their brand’s visibility.
But what sets Video View campaigns apart from other YouTube Video ad formats? How do these campaigns fit into a marketer’s strategy? This article will uncover the potential advantages and distinctions this latest campaign type brings to YouTube marketing.
Choosing the Right YouTube Strategy
As of October 2023, YouTube boasts 2.6 billion unique users worldwide, with 246 million users in the United States alone. The average user invests approximately 19 minutes and 39 seconds daily on this platform. Within this window, your ad has the potential to capture their attention. Yet the key lies in reaching the viewers who’ll genuinely engage with your content rather than swiping or skipping past it.
This is where the different types of YouTube video ad formats come into play. YouTube provides a roadmap for aligning marketing goals with the right video ad strategy. Specifically, we’ll explore YouTube video views and action campaigns to help you choose which best suits your goals.
- What is the Difference Between YouTube Video View Campaign and Video Action Campaign?
- Which YouTube Campaign Type Should I Choose?
- Setting Up VVC and VAC: A Step-by-Step Guide
What is the Difference Between YouTube Video View Campaign and Video Action Campaign?
These different YouTube video ad formats are versatile tools with distinct objectives and advantages. Whether you’re new to setting up YouTube ad campaigns or seeking a quick refresher on these two fundamental types, we’ll provide a clear overview of their purpose and when to deploy them effectively.
Video Views Campaigns (VVC)
Objective
- Maximize the number of views for your video ads at a lower cost, strategically placing them where they perform best.
Distribution
- VVCs utilize YouTube’s AI-powered machine learning algorithm to secure views through the following placements: In-Feed Video, Skippable In-Stream Video, and Shorts.
When to Use Video Views Campaigns
- Your primary aim is to reach the maximum number of interested audiences with your video ad.
- If your goal is to boost the number of views for your ads and increase visibility.
- To make the most of a single creative or your highest-performing ad by deploying it across various placements within YouTube.
Video Action Campaigns (VAC)
Objective
- Drive valuable interactions on and off YouTube, focusing on cost-effectiveness through a single automated campaign.
Distribution
- VACs can be distributed through skippable in-stream and in-feed video ad formats.
When to Use Video Action Campaigns
- When your goal is to prompt viewers to take action related to your business, service, or product.
- If you aim to increase the scale of your campaign or improve your Cost Per Action (CPA) performance and overall efficiency.
- When using conversion tracking in your campaigns to measure and optimize results.
Which YouTube Campaign Type Should I Choose?
YouTube Video View Campaign vs. YouTube Video Action Campaign: Benefits for Advertisers
Understanding the unique benefits and differences between a YouTube video view campaign and a Video Action Campaign is crucial for media buyers in selecting the most suitable approach. Let’s look into each YouTube video campaign type’s advantages:
Considering these benefits, you can decide based on the different types of YouTube video ad campaigns that best align with your objectives.
Setting Up VVC and VAC: A Step-by-Step Guide
Once you’ve defined your advertising objectives and determined which type aligns with your goals, it’s time to start setting up. Below, we’ve outlined the steps to create the different types of YouTube video ad campaigns:
How to Set Up a Video Action Campaign (VAC)
How to Set Up a Video Views Campaign (VVC)
How to Set Up a Video Action Campaign (VAC)
A. Configuring the Video Action Campaign objective
1. Begin by logging in to your Google Ads account and clicking on New campaign.
2. If you are directed to the Smart Campaigns window, click on Switch to Expert Mode.
3. Choose your campaign objective. (Video Action is available for objectives: Sales, Leads, and Website traffic.)
4. Select Video as your campaign type and proceed by clicking Continue.
5. Configure the Campaign-specific settings. Fill in the required information, including:
- Campaign name
- Locations: Specify your targeted and excluded locations.
- Languages: Choose your customers’ languages (The default is set to All languages).
- Bid strategy: Opt for either Target CPA, Maximize conversions, Maximize conversion value, or Target ROAS.*
- Budget and dates: Define your budget type, budget amount, and campaign start and end dates.
- Networks: By default, both YouTube and Video partners on the Google Display Network are selected.
- Assets (optional): Include at least 2 site links to boost conversions for your Video Action campaign.
- Additional settings: Set up Devices where your ads will be displayed, Frequency (how frequently the ad can appear to one user), and Ad schedule. You can also enable Video enhancements (e.g., allowing Google to create additional videos for various formats).
6. Create an ad group by providing it a name and configure audience targeting under the People category.
* Note: Target ROAS and MaxConv Value bidding strategies require a minimum of 30 conversions to activate.
B. Creating the video ad
1. If your video ad is not yet on YouTube, upload it first to enable access from your Google Ads account. Once uploaded, paste the URL to add it to your Video Action campaign.
2. To complete your ad setup, provide the following details:
- URL and Display URL
- Call-to-action (customizable or select from options analyzed by Google AI based on your business information)
- Headline (customizable or select from options analyzed by Google AI based on your business information)
- Long headline (customizable or select from options analyzed by Google AI based on your business information)
- Description (customizable or select from options analyzed by Google AI based on your business information)
- Ad URL (optional): Add a tracking template, final URL suffix, or custom parameters to the final URL.
3. Choose either an automatically generated image from your YouTube channel’s videos (recommended) or manually upload an image as your companion banner. Note that companion banners only appear on computer devices.
4. Provide a name for your ad.
5. When you’ve completed these steps, click “Create campaign.”
How to Set Up a Video Views Campaign (VVC)
- Log in to your Google Ads account and click on New campaign.
- From the Smart Campaigns window, click on Switch to Expert Mode to access more advanced options.
- Choose Awareness and consideration as your campaign objective.
- For the campaign type, select Video.
- Under the campaign subtype, select Video views. Click Continue to proceed.
- Fill in the essential details for the campaign:
- Campaign name
- Bid strategy: Target CPV is automatically selected.
- Budget and dates: Specify your budget type, budget amount, and campaign start and end dates.
- Networks: By default, YouTube is selected. For VVCs, you can choose to opt out of displaying on the Video partners on the Google Display Network.
- Locations: Add your targeted and/or excluded locations (the default is set to your business’s country).
- Languages: Choose your customers’ languages (The default is set to All languages).
- Related videos: You can enhance engagement by adding videos related to your ads. These related videos appear below your video ad, creating an immersive experience to reinforce your message.
- Multi-format ads: VVC allows your ads to appear in various formats and placements, regardless of their original format.
- Additional settings: Configure the Devices where your ads will be displayed and set the Frequency (how often the ad can be shown to the same user). Establish an Ad schedule, and decide on Video enhancements (e.g., allowing Google to create additional videos for different orientations and distribution formats).
- Create a name for your ad group. Define your audience targeting and contextual targeting.
- You can add up to 5 videos for VVCs. Google’s AI will recommend including videos with different orientations to boost views.
- Specify the target CPV bid for your campaign. Google’s AI will optimize bids to maximize the number of views.
- Thoroughly review all the campaign details. When you’re ready, proceed to click Create campaign.
Deciding Between YouTube Video View Campaign vs. YouTube Video Action Campaign
Both YouTube Video Views Campaigns and Video Action Campaigns hold significant potential to elevate your brand’s presence. What truly counts is aligning your goals with the ideal YouTube video ad formats to chart your course to success.
While Video Views Campaigns may be the new tool for advertisers when choosing from a list of video ad solutions, their promising beginnings are undeniable. On the other hand, Video Action Campaigns, with their seasoned presence in YouTube advertising, continue to shine.
The insights provided now equip you to make an informed choice. Embark on an exciting journey to thrust your brand into YouTube advertising’s limelight. You hold the choice, and endless possibilities await.
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