This post was updated in May 2025 to provide you with the latest information.

Optimizing your YouTube ads means tailoring content to align with viewer preferences—whether they’re watching on desktop or mobile. Understanding the right YouTube ad specs, sizes, and dimensions ensures your creatives are displayed correctly and viewed exactly as intended.

Successful YouTube advertising isn’t just about performance metrics; it’s about how your audience perceives and interacts with your video ads on the platform.

We’ve outlined the YouTube ad specifications below to help you with your 2025 YouTube advertising.

Types of YouTube Ads, Sizes, and Specifications

Overlay ads

As of April 6, 2023, Overlay ads have been discontinued in YouTube. Active overlay ads will only appear on desktop view as YouTube Creators shift to newer ad formats for YouTube advertising.

Overlay image: required

• Unit: 480 pixels by 70 pixels
• File type: static GIF, PNG, JPG
• File size: 150KB

Companion banner: optional

• Unit: 300 pixels by 250 pixels
• File type: GIF, PNG, JPG
• File size: 150KB

Think of discovery ads as an online billboards of sorts. These are generally static images or have very minimal movement and animation to them. According to the YouTube ad specifications, they appear either to the side of the video or as an overlay on the bottom of the video. They’re good to include in your YouTube advertising mix because they’re less expensive than other ad forms like those that appear before or during videos.

Since they don’t directly interfere with user activity on the site, users might also respond better to their presence. A potential drawback could be that some users have a tendency to tune out these kinds of ads, but a truly great ad can break through the clutter. Whatever size or format you choose is up to you, just make sure that the content is optimized for the ad format and that there is a clear call-to-action for your YouTube audiences to respond to.

---

Further Reading

Understanding YouTube Advertising Costs for Maximum Efficiency

For YouTube advertisers, balancing cost management with expanding reach is critical to success. As video consumption trends evolve, media buyers face challenges in identifying the most efficient ways to maximize ad visibility without exceeding budgets.

---

Sponsored cards

YouTube Sponsored cards have also been discontinued, as part of an ongoing effort to streamline the viewing experience and shift towards different video advertising formats.

Sponsored card worked as a brief “teaser”, which will be replaced by a card icon after a few seconds. Appearing in the upper right-hand corner of the video they are currently watching, the icon gives users the choice of clicking through to access further information about the sponsored content.

• Platform: Desktop and mobile devices
• Media: image
• Format: JPG, PNG, GIF
• Aspect Ratio: 1:1
• Length: 15 or 20 seconds
• File Size: 2MB max

In that sense, a sponsored card ad is similar to display ads except where it’s located and how it functions differs slightly. The commonality among them is the ever critical call-to-action.

Bumper ads

Ad placements

• YouTube videos, video partner sites, and apps within the Google Display Network

Assets overview

• Video URL: Must be uploaded and hosted on YouTube
• Final URL: Destination landing page users reach after clicking the ad
  • Note: Must directly reflect the product or offer promoted
• Display URL: Up to 2 customizable paths (15 characters each)
  • Helps users understand what to expect (e.g., if your final URL is www.yourwebsite.com/autumnbreeze/add-to-cart, your display URL can be www.yourwebsite.com/newcollection)
• Long headline: ≤90 characters
• Description: ≤90 characters; can add up to 5
• Companion: 300 pixels by 60 pixels .jpg, static .gif or .png; 300 pixels by 250 pixels video wall will show on YouTube if no companion ad is provided
  • Maximum file size: 150KB

Video ad settings

• File format: AVI, ASF, Quicktime, Windows Media, MP4 or MPEG
  • Preferred video codec: H.264, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4
  • Preferred audio codec: MP3 or AAC
• Resolution: 640 pixels by 360 pixels or 480 pixels by 360 pixels recommended
• Frame rate: 30 FPS
• Aspect ratio: native aspect ratio without letter-boxing (examples: 4:3, 16:9)
• Maximum file size: 1GB
• Length: ≤6 seconds

A bumper ad is a non-skippable video ad format created to extend the reach of a campaign. It appears before the video the user has chosen to view. Sold on a CPM basis, Bumper ads perform well on both Connected TV and mobile devices. In alignment with the 2025 YouTube ad specs, the maximum video length for bumper ads is 6 seconds.

---

Further Reading

Expand Your Audience with YouTube Video Reach Campaigns

By leveraging multiple advertising formats, YouTube advertisers can effectively broaden their reach, engage a wider audience, and maximize the impact of their campaigns beyond the YouTube app and YouTube TV.

---

Standard display ads

Ad placements

• Google Display Networks, Gmail, YouTube Home Feed and YouTube In-Feed

Assets overview

• Images: Up to 15 images
• Logos: Up to 5 variations
• Videos: Up to 5 videos
• Final URL: Landing page users reach after clicking the ad
• Business name: ≤25 characters
• Headlines: ≤30 characters; can add up to 5
• Long headline: ≤90 characters
• Description: ≤90 characters; can add up to 5

Technical YouTube ad specifications

• Dimensions:
  • 300 pixels by 250 pixels
  • 300 pixels by 60 pixels (YouTube Reserve companions)
  • 300 pixels by 600 pixels (Zagat only)
• Formats: GIF, JPG, PNG
• Maximum file size: 150KB
• Maximum animation time: 30 seconds (all animations, including loops, must stop at 30 seconds)
• Audio: no sound
• Border: creatives with partially black or white backgrounds must have a visible border of a contrasting color

Demand Gen (formerly Video Action Campaigns)

YouTube advertising goes beyond awareness, helping brands move audiences down the funnel to drive engagement and conversions through video ads and product shopping ads. Video Action Campaigns (VAC) have been pivotal in achieving these goals.

VAC has now transitioned to Demand Gen, enhancing its capabilities to expand its reach while maintaining the performance and results that brands rely on. This evolution offers advertisers an opportunity to tap into broader audience segments without compromising on the effectiveness of their campaigns.

Ad placements

• YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and the Google Display Network (GDN)

Assets overview

• Final URL: Destination landing page
• Logos: Up to 5 variations
• Video URL: Must be uploaded and hosted on YouTube
• Image: Choose from 4 autogenerated thumbnails
• Headline: (1) ≤30 characters – in-stream inventory; (1) ≤90 characters – in-feed inventory
• Description: ≤90 characters
• CTA: ≤10 characters

Image ad settings

• Images: Up to 15 images
• File format: JPG, PNG, or static GIF
• Business name: ≤25 characters
• Headlines: ≤40 characters; can add up to 5
• Description: ≤90 characters; can add up to 5
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080px (horizontal); 1080 x 1920px (vertical); 1080 x 1080px (square)
  • Minimum px for Standard HD: 1280 x 720px (horizontal); 720 x 1280px (vertical); 480 x 480px (square)
• Maximum file size: ≤ 5MB

Video ad settings

• Videos: Up to 5 videos
• Business name: ≤25 characters
• Headlines: ≤40 characters; can add up to 5
• Long headline: ≤90 characters; can add up to 5
• Description: ≤90 characters; can add up to 5
• File format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4)
  • .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm & HEVC (h265)
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080px (horizontal); 1080 x 1920px (vertical); 1080 x 1080px (square)
  • Minimum px for Standard HD: 1280 x 720px (horizontal); 720 x 1280px (vertical); 480 x 480px (square)
• Frame rate: 30 FPS
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 for horizontal; 9:16 for vertical; 1:1 for square
• Maximum file size: ≤ 256GB

Carousel ad settings

• Images: Up to 10 image cards
• Business name: ≤25 characters
• Headlines: ≤40 characters; 1 per card; 1 headline for the full carousel
• Description: ≤90 characters

In-stream non-skippable ads

These YouTube ad formats play while viewing the video content and last up to 15 seconds or shorter. Non-skippable video ads appear before the selected video and much be watched in its entirety before the video can be viewed.

Ad placements

• Where they appear: Appear before, during, or after YouTube videos
  • Also served across video partner sites and apps within the Google Display Network (GDN) (unless excluded in campaign settings)

Assets overview

• Video URL: Must be uploaded and hosted on YouTube
• Final URL: Landing page users are directed to after clicking the ad
• Display URL: Up to 255 characters
• Headline: ≤15 characters
• Companion: 300 pixels by 60 pixels .jpg, static .gif or .png; 300 pixels by 250 pixels video wall will show on YouTube if no companion ad is provided
• Maximum file size: 150KB

Video ad settings

• File format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4)
  • .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm and HEVC (h265)
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080px (horizontal); 1080 x 1920px (vertical); 1080 x 1080px (square)
  • Minimum px for Standard HD: 1280 x 720px (horizontal); 720 x 1280px (vertical); 480 x 480px (square)
• Frame rate: 30 FPS
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 for horizontal; 9:16 for vertical; 1:1 for square
• Maximum file size: ≤ 256GB
• Length: 15 or 20 seconds for non-skippable; ≤ 20 seconds for long non-skippable

In-stream skippable ads

Skippable video ads allow viewers to skip ads after 5 seconds and move on to their viewing selection.

Ad placements

• Where they appear: Ads are served before, during, or after YouTube videos
  • Across video partner sites and apps within the Google Display Network (GDN) (unless excluded in campaign settings)

Assets overview

• Video URL: Must be uploaded to YouTube
• Final URL: Landing page users are directed to after clicking the ad
• Display URL: Up to 2 customizable paths (15 characters each)
• Long headline: ≤90 characters
• Description: ≤90 characters
• Companion (desktop only): 300 pixels by 60 pixels .jpg, static .gif or .png; 300 pixels by 250 pixels video wall will show on YouTube if no companion ad is provided
  • Maximum file size: 150KB

Video ad settings

• File format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4)
  • .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm & HEVC (h265)
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080px (horizontal); 1080 x 1920px (vertical); 1080 x 1080px (square)
  • Minimum px for Standard HD: 1280 x 720px (horizontal); 720 x 1280px (vertical); 480 x 480px (square)
• Frame rate: 30 FPS
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 for horizontal; 9:16 for vertical; 1:1 for square
• Maximum file size: ≤256 GB
  • Best practices for Awareness and Action campaigns: 15 to 20 seconds; for Consideration campaigns: 60 seconds to 3 minutes
• Length: 15 seconds to 3 minutes

Video View Campaign Skippable in-stream

Assets overview

• Video URL: Must be uploaded to YouTube
• Final URL: Landing page users are directed to after clicking the ad
• Display URL: Up to 2 customizable paths (15 characters each)
• Long headline: ≤90 characters
• Description: ≤90 characters

Video ad settings

• Resolution:
  • 1080p (Full HD): Recommended pixels (px) for HD: 1920 x 1080px (horizontal)
  • 720p (Standard HD): Minimum px: 1280 x 720px (horizontal)
  • SD: 640 x 480px (horizontal)
  • For optimal quality, we don’t recommend using SD.
• Aspect Ratio: HD: 16:9 for horizontal; SD: 4:3 (SD) for horizontal
  • For optimal quality, we don’t recommend using SD.
• Format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4), .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm & HEVC (h265)
• File Size: ≤256 GB
• Format composition for In-stream placement: ≥:05 seconds horizontal

---

Further Reading

YouTube Video View Campaign vs. Video Action Campaign

With the variety of YouTube advertising options, choosing the right one for your brand can be challenging. To guide your decision, we break down the differences between YouTube Video View Campaigns and Video Action Campaigns. Discover their unique objectives, benefits, and the ideal scenarios for leveraging each campaign type.

---

Video View Campaign In-feed

Assets overview

• Video URL: Must be uploaded to YouTube
• Final URL: Landing page users are directed to after clicking the ad
• Display URL: Up to 2 customizable paths (15 characters each)
• Long headline: ≤90 characters
• Description: ≤90 characters

Video ad settings

• Resolution:
  • 1080p (Full HD): Recommended pixels (px) for HD: 1920 x 1080px (horizontal)
  • 720p (Standard HD): Minimum px: 1280 x 720px (horizontal)
  • SD: 640 x 480px (horizontal)
  • For optimal quality, we don’t recommend using SD.
• Aspect Ratio: HD: 16:9 for horizontal; SD: 4:3 (SD) for horizontal
  • For optimal quality, we don’t recommend using SD.
• Format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4), .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm & HEVC (h265)
• File Size: ≤256 GB
• Format composition for YouTube in-feed placement: ≥:05 seconds horizontal

Video View Campaign in YouTube Shorts placement

As YouTube Shorts emerges as a standalone vertical video feed, Video View Campaigns capitalize on this placement to drive more engaged views. At Strike Social, YouTube Shorts has proven highly effective, with one of our standout campaigns attributing 43% of its total ad views to Shorts placements alone.

Assets overview

• Video URL: Must be uploaded to YouTube
• Final URL: Landing page users are directed to after clicking the ad
• Display URL: Up to 2 path segments (15 characters each)
• Long headline: ≤90 characters
• Description: ≤90 characters

Video ad specifications

• Resolution:
  • 1080p (Full HD): Recommended pixels (px) for HD: 1080 x 1920px (vertical)
  • 720p (Standard HD): Minimum px: 720 x 1280px (vertical)
  • SD: 480 x 640px (vertical)
  • For optimal quality, we don’t recommend using SD.
• Aspect Ratio: HD: 9:16 for vertical; SD: 2:3 (SD) for horizontal
  • For optimal quality, we don’t recommend using SD.
• Format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4), .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm & HEVC (h265)
• File Size: ≤256 GB
• Format composition for YouTube Shorts placement: ≥:05 seconds vertical

Video Reach Campaign

To expand your reach across both YouTube and YouTube TV platforms, Video Reach Campaign (VRC) allows your video ads to appear on both small and large screens. Below are the recommended YouTube ad specifications for VRC:

Ad placements

• Where they appear: Appear before, during, or after YouTube videos (desktop, mobile, tablet, and Connected TV)
  • Also served across video partner sites and apps within the Google Display Network (GDN) (unless excluded in campaign settings)

Assets overview

• Video URL: Must be uploaded to YouTube
• Final URL: Destination landing page users reach after clicking the ad
• Display URL: Up to 2 path segments (15 characters each)
• Long headline: ≤90 characters
• Description: ≤90 characters

YouTube VRC specifications

• Resolution:
  • 1080p (Full HD): Recommended pixels (px) for HD: 1080 x 1920px (vertical)
  • 720p (Standard HD): Minimum px: 720 x 1280px (vertical)
  • SD: 480 x 640px (vertical)
    • For optimal quality, we don’t recommend using SD.
• Aspect Ratio: HD: 16:9 for horizontal; 9:16 for vertical; 1:1 for square
• Format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4), .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm & HEVC (h265)
• File Size: ≤256 GB
• Format composition: Any length; Recommended:
  • (1) horizontal :15 and (1) horizontal :06
  • (1) vertical :06-:60

Set Your YouTube Ad Creatives for Success

Your YouTube ad is the first point of contact with your audience, making it essential to ensure it’s both visually appealing and conveys your message effectively. To ensure your ad is displayed as intended and captures your audience’s attention, it’s crucial to follow the right specifications.

This YouTube ad specs guide will prepare you for success in 2025. Looking for more tailored insights? Sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates on YouTube paid advertising and more.

The post The complete list of YouTube ad specifications (2025 Update) appeared first on Strike Social.

The Beginner’s Guide to YouTube Ads

Aside from the usual video content, one thing that’s probably more common is the amount of YouTube ads you see. While they may seem interruptive to some viewers, these ads actually introduce audiences to your brand and can even encourage them to visit your website or watch your ads in full. With an average of 48 minutes spent daily by users on the YouTube app, there are multiple ways to reach them across various formats and ad types.

Learn the basics of YouTube advertising, from targeting strategies to optimization techniques, to see how this platform can help you get your brand out there.

YouTube Ads Explained

As part of the Google ecosystem, YouTube has more reach than ever, with ads appearing not only on the YouTube app but also on YouTube TV and across the Google Display Network (GDN). 

If you’re familiar with YouTube ads at a surface level, we’ll guide you through every aspect of utilizing YouTube as an advertising platform for your business.

What Are YouTube Ads?

YouTube ads are video or animated ads that promote a brand through engaging content on YouTube and across Google’s Display Network. They can introduce audiences to your products, highlight services, or feature current promotions in a way that captures attention and drives action. 

When done right, a well-crafted YouTube ad strategy can reach up to 11 million views, achieve 2,000 conversions, and deliver as much as 7x ROAS.

YouTube Advertising Formats, Specs, and Safe Zones

YouTube offers a variety of ad formats that help you reach audiences across different screens and contexts. Whether you want to make a quick impact or engage viewers with a longer story, here’s a breakdown of the main YouTube ad formats:

• In-stream ads
  • YouTube in-stream ads play before, during, or after a YouTube video, often aligning with the viewer’s current video content or viewing habits.
  • Types of in-stream ads on YouTube:
    • Skippable In-Stream Ads
    • Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads
    • Bumper Ads
• In-feed ads
  • When browsing through the app or related videos of the current video you are watching, YouTube in-feed ads are inserted as you scroll through. These may auto-play without sound as viewers scroll, encouraging them to stop and engage.
  • Types of YouTube in-feed ads:
    • YouTube app in-feed
    • YouTube watch feed
    • Masthead ads (by reservation only)
• YouTube Shorts ads
  • Ads on YouTube Shorts appear in between videos as you scroll through the Shorts feed. For example, while enjoying a quick video on a new dance trend, an ad might pop up as you swipe to the next clip, offering a brief interlude before you continue browsing more Shorts content.
• Outstream ads
  • Your ads can reach audiences beyond YouTube through “outstream” placements on Google Video Partners (GVP) and the Google Display Network (GDN). These ads are shown on both mobile devices and desktops, allowing you to engage viewers who may not be actively browsing the YouTube app.
• Other formats
  • Mid-roll ads: Shown within videos longer than 8 minutes.
  • Back-to-back ads/ad pods: Two consecutive ads shown before or during a video.

The YouTube ad specs vary based on your campaign objectives and chosen formats. Whether targeting placements within the YouTube app or looking to advertise on YouTube TV and Google TV, ads can appear in either 16:9 or 9:16 formats. 

Here’s a quick overview of the essential YouTube ad video specs and technical requirements:

• File format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4), .WMV, .AVI, .MOV and .FLV .MPEG-1, .MP4, .MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm & HEVC (h265)
  • Preferred video codec: H.264, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4
  • Preferred audio codec: MP3 or AAC
• Resolution:
  • 1080p (Full HD)
    • Recommended pixels (px) for HD: 1920 x 1080px (horizontal), 1080 x 1920px (vertical)
  • 720p (Standard HD)
    • Minimum px: 1280 x 720px (horizontal), 720 x 1280px (vertical)
  • SD
    • 640 x 480px (horizontal), 480 x 640px (vertical)
• Frame rate: 30 FPS
• Aspect ratio:
  • Horizontal — 16:9 (HD), 4:3 (SD)
  • Vertical — 9:16 (HD), 2:3 (SD)
• Maximum file size: 1GB to ≤256 GB
• Length: Best video length for YouTube ads is between 12 seconds to 3 minutes
  • 6 seconds (YouTube bumper ads)
  • <60 seconds (YouTube Shorts)
  • 15-20 seconds (up to 30 seconds for YouTube TV ads) (non-skippable in-stream)
  • No max length for in-feed and skippable YouTube ads

* For optimal quality, we recommend using HD resolutions whenever possible (vs. SD).

---

Further Reading

The Complete List of YouTube Ad Specs

If you’re looking for non-skippable YouTube ads specs, in-stream, or YouTube Shorts video requirements, you can find them all in this comprehensive blog. See the detailed requirements on video length, resolution, file format, and aspect ratios to ensure your ads meet YouTube’s guidelines.

---

When complying with the YouTube ad sizes, take note that your entire ad might not be fully visible. Both the YouTube app and YouTube TV interface feature elements like the Skip Ad button and engagement options (like, share), which can obscure portions of your video.

To help with this, we’ve created YouTube ad safe zone guides to show you where to avoid placing text or CTAs, ensuring your ad remains fully visible within the safe zone.

---

Further Reading

Safe Zone Guide for Vertical Video Ads

As a YouTube advertiser, the Shorts placement must already be on your radar. Don’t limit your vertical video ads to just one platform—find the optimal safe zones to promote across other short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.

---

Types of YouTube Advertising Campaigns

With a wide range of options for both organic and paid marketing on YouTube, it’s essential to choose the right type of paid ad campaign that aligns with your specific goals.

No matter your video advertising objective, there’s a YouTube ad campaign type designed to help you succeed—here’s a breakdown of your options:

Video Reach Campaigns (VRC)

• By its name, VRC is perfect for Awareness and Reach objectives. In addition to broad visibility across the YouTube app, VRC now also allows advertisers to extend their reach to Google TV and YouTube TV channels. Available YouTube ad formats for VRC include in-stream (bumper and skippable), in-feed, and Shorts. 
• VRC campaign types:
  • Efficient reach
  • Non-skippable reach
  • Target frequency
• With on-point creatives, precise targeting, and the right social media advertising agency, Strike Social’s 2024 data shows a 41% lower CPM for VRC than YouTube Trueview.

Video View Campaigns (VVC)

• Designed to maximize views, Video View Campaigns uses Google’s AI to strategically place YouTube ads where they are most likely to be watched and engaged. Placements include in-stream (skippable ads), in-feed, and YouTube Shorts feed.
• Since its launch in Q3 2023, VVC has shown significant cost efficiency, with our campaigns demonstrating up to 56% savings.
• For brands looking to tell their story through YouTube video advertising, our data on Video View Campaigns show great view-through rates (VTR), particularly on Connected TV and mobile devices, where audience engagement and viewer retention are highest.

Video Action Campaigns (VAC)

• Video advertising on the YouTube platform prompts viewers to take action by purchasing, visiting the website, or subscribing to a service. Video Action Campaigns (VAC) can be used to promote YouTube shopping ads through your Google Product Feed or generate leads and sign-ups from engaged viewers.
• VAC will be upgraded to Demand Gen by Q2 2025, and we recommend that advertisers begin transitioning early to take full advantage of the enhanced capabilities it will offer.

---

Further Reading

Video View Campaigns vs. Video Action Campaigns

Is VVC or VAC the right choice for your brand? Each campaign type offers unique advantages, and choosing the right one depends on your brand’s specific goals. Explore the benefits of each to determine which YouTube ad campaign best suits your objectives.

---

Performance Max

• Another way to promote through YouTube ads and expand across the Google Search Network, Gmail, Display Network, and Discover channels is to use Performance Max campaigns (commonly known as PMax). 
• Previously, Google PMax ads have caused some turmoil with brand safety and ad suitability due to appearing on unauthorized websites and YouTube Kids videos. It takes scrutiny and making sure ad placements are visible to make sure you are fully aware of when and where your PMax campaigns show up. 
• Since then, significant improvements have been made to enhance transparency for YouTube advertisers. During the Google Marketing Live 2024 announcements, it was announced that YouTube placements and exclusions will now be visible to brands running Performance Max campaigns.
• Moreover, YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet, has been enhancing the AI capabilities of PMax ads. This includes innovations such as a text-to-image model for creative assets and ‘page-specific assets’ that help better align ads with placement websites and improve engagement with audiences.
  

YouTube Ad Placements

When advertising on YouTube, you can be seen on more than just the mobile app or the website itself. Your YouTube video ads can conquer everything from small smartphones to bigger Connected TV screens. 

Here in our YouTube ads guide, we show you the platforms and placements available for your YouTube campaigns:

• YouTube app: Users can download the YouTube app from their smartphones, tablets, or desktop devices. The same ad placements when users visit the YouTube website across their devices. 
• Connected TV: Yes, your YouTube paid ads can also appear on TV! Through Connected TV advertising, you can tap into an audience of over 300 million monthly users. CTV ads have proven highly effective, with some campaigns achieving up to 65% video ad completion, even with skippable ads.
  • YouTube TV: YouTube TV is a subscription-based service that provides live television channels and content such as shows, sports, and events. It currently boasts over 8 million subscribers and continues to grow. Yet another way to reach audiences on YouTube TV is through Pause Ads, which allows your ads to appear on viewers’ screens while they pause content.
  • Google TV: Similar to YouTube TV, Google TV is also a streaming platform accessible through devices like Chromecast, smart TVs, mobile devices, or the new Google TV Streamer. As of September 2024, Google TV’s network already offers 150 channels, with more to come.
• Google video partners (GVP): Google video partners are trusted, high-quality websites and apps where your YouTube ads can be displayed outside of the YouTube platform. Partnering with Google has advantages, as YouTube can use Google’s inventory to get more video views and impressions even when the intended audience is not using YouTube itself.

What You Need to Know Before Launching Your YouTube Ad Campaigns

As we move forward in this YouTube advertising guide, it may seem that running ads on YouTube sounds easy. But before anything else, you must iron out your YouTube ad strategy before going to Ads Manager to start running your campaigns.

Audience Targeting

YouTube ad targeting can take many forms: device, location, gender, age, interests, etc. There are two primary audience segments within Google Ads where you can define your target audience for YouTube campaigns:

• Audience: Targeting the who, when, where, and what—gender, age, parental status, household income*, interests, locations
  • In simpler terms, YouTube audience targeting is simply targeting your target market. With a potential audience base of 238 million unique users in the US, the key here is being specific about who you want your YouTube ads to be viewed by.
  • For instance, an HVAC brand trying to take advantage of the demographic’s interest in sports using YouTube Custom Intent audiences can effectively acquire 11 million views through its campaign despite being a non-sports-related brand.

*Targeting by household income (HHI) is only available in Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United States.

• Content: Targeting the YouTube content your audiences are engaged with—keywords and topics they are searching for, devices and platforms they are browsing or seeing content on
  • YouTube contextual targeting allows your video ads to appear on your chosen relevant content so it blends better with the user’s viewing experience. 
  • For example, during a holiday advertising campaign, retail brands can target shoppers looking for product reviews. YouTube is the top social media platform for researching holiday purchases, and 76% of shoppers say product review videos help them make better purchases. Contextual ad targeting is the way to go to make sure you get into audiences’ YouTube screens. 
  • In this example, a gaming brand can select these options under Topics so their YouTube ads can appear within these contexts and related videos:

The key is refining the scope of your audience to ensure you are paying for impressions and views from engaged audiences only, but not so narrowly that you inflate costs or harm campaign performance.

To find out how you can analyze and take advantage of each YouTube ad targeting method, here’s a quick guide:

Optimizing YouTube Ads Cost

YouTube advertising costs will vary based on numerous factors, but the hard part is ensuring you’re only paying for engaged views while keeping your budget under control.

How to optimize the cost of ads on YouTube?

• Know the prevailing YouTube ad costs by industry
  • According to our Q3 YouTube Ad Benchmarks Report, costs in industries such as finance and travel have been 13% and 9% lower than in Q3 2023, despite the busy holiday season and the U.S. elections.
• Continuous monitoring and optimizations
  • Launching your YouTube video ads is not a one-and-done process. It needs to be checked constantly to ensure that your ads are delivering and that costs are not going over.
  • For video reach or awareness campaigns, keep CPM costs in check. For campaigns with Views objectives, watch CPV and YouTube ad view rates closely.
• Utilize optimal creatives and YouTube ad placements
  • As YouTube evolved with its advertising enhancements, advertisers must adapt as well. Skippable YouTube ads leveraging on reach are doing really well on Connected TV placements, outperforming mobile and other devices by 10-20% based on our 2024 Q1 report. 
  • Depending on the cost and performance of your YouTube ads during your campaign flight, study the data for the best insights to make an informed decision on how you can lean on better costs by utilizing your outperforming creatives and placements.

Performance and Cost Benchmarks

Along with setting your goals for what you want to achieve with your YouTube ads, such as views or conversions, you should set a criterion for the range to which you want your campaign results to match or even exceed. 

Using our successful campaigns on YouTube advertising, here are the key YouTube ad metrics to set your sights on:

• YouTube ad cost benchmarks
  • Cost Per Mille (CPM): $5.70 to $12.36 ¹; $2.87 to $8.02 ⁴
    • CPM for CTV Skippable Ads: $7.39 to $10.01 ⁵ 
    • CPM for CTV Non-Skippable Ads: $4.74 to $7.09 ⁵ 
  • Cost Per View (CPV): $0.01 to $0.03 ²
    • CPM for CTV Skippable Ads: $0.0128 to $0.0220 ⁵ 
  • Cost Per Click (CPC): $0.34 and $1.42 ³
• YouTube ad views and performance benchmarks
  • Click-through Rate (CTR): 0.07% to 0.17% ¹; 0.11% to 1.22% ³; 0.01% to 0.11% ⁴
  • View Rate (VR): 43% to 57% ²

¹ Based on 2023 US YouTube TrueView InStream Non-skippable Campaigns
² Based on 2023 US YouTube TrueView InStream Skippable Campaigns
³ Based on 2023 US Video Action Campaigns
⁴ Based on 2023 US YouTube Bumper Ads
⁵ Based on Connected TV ad rates, 2024 US YouTube TrueView Ads Campaigns

Brand Safety and Suitability in YouTube Advertising

Even major brands with YouTube video ads can be criticized if they are displayed with inappropriate, unsuitable content that gives the brand a negative perspective. Thus, ad suitability and brand safety on YouTube are key to making sure your ads are shown with related content and away from the explicit content that may be lurking within the platform.

What brand safety features does YouTube have?

• YouTube inventory types: Choose from expanded, standard, or limited inventory. The recommended setting is “Standard”. “Expanded” extends your reach across more inventory, while “Limited” ensures your ads avoid more suggestive or explicit content.
• Third-party brand safety technology: With the help of carefully vetted third-party providers, YouTube continues to develop brand safety measures to maintain integrity in impressions and views generated through YouTube ads. These providers include Integral Ad Science, DoubleVerify, VuePlanner, and more.

How to ensure YouTube ad suitability with my campaigns?

• The difference between brand safety and brand suitability is that the latter focuses more on aligning your brand values with your target audience to strengthen the connection. Brand safety starts the process, and ad suitability fortifies it.
• YouTube has developed many tools for content suitability, which include the following:
  • Negative keywords
  • Topic exclusions
  • Category exclusions
  • Trending negative keywords
  • Video and channel placement exclusion
  • Content theme exclusions
• One key concern is appearing on YouTube Kids videos, as these are primarily viewed by children who do not have purchasing power. This means that clicks or views from these videos do not contribute to YouTube ads’ ROI. Ad suitability is achieved by excluding Kids channel placements and reallocating these views to more relevant audiences who can make a purchase or remember your ad for future decisions.

Step-by-step Guide to Publishing Your YouTube Campaign

Feel like you have everything you need and are ready to start video advertising on YouTube? Here are the basic steps to follow:

1. Set up your Google Ads account. You can use your existing Gmail account or use your business account. If you need to add access for your social media advertising manager or media buyer, you can do so by adding and editing Google Ads users to allow your team to help you manage your ads.

2. If you do not have one yet, create a YouTube channel for your brand and upload the video ad you will be using for your campaign. You’ll need the YouTube link to your video to add it to your campaign later.

3. Link your YouTube channel to your Google Ads account. Aside from performance tracking, this also allows Google Ads to acquire data for remarketing on YouTube for future video ad campaigns.

4. Once your Google Ads account is set up, go to the overview dashboard and click ‘+ New campaign.’

5. Choose your campaign objective, type, and subtype. For some scenarios, there will be another subtype before proceeding to the next screen. For example:

• Objective: Awareness and consideration
• Campaign type: Video
• Campaign subtype: Video views (click Continue); Video reach (select VRC subtype – e.g. Target frequency, then click Continue)

6. Fill in the rest of the campaign information, such as the name, budget, and start and end dates. Arrange your audience targeting settings as desired. As you update your campaign settings, ad formats, exclusions, and other elements, you can find an audience estimate on the right side of your screen.

7. Set up your video ads. Paste the YouTube URL so it retrieves the video from the platform. Add your target URL, CTA, ad headline, and description. You can add more creatives as desired and set them up using the same process, abiding by the YouTube ad copy specs.

8. Finally, set up your bid strategy. For an awareness campaign, the target CPM bid is the amount you are willing to pay for each 1000 impressions, which will be your entry in the ad auction. 

9. Review your campaign setup. Once done, click on Create campaign.

Most YouTube ad campaigns are reviewed within 1 business day. Once your ad is approved (or rejected), you should receive a notification via Google Ads or your Gmail account. 

Do You Need a YouTube Advertising Agency for Better Results in 2025?

After publishing your YouTube video ads, the real work starts during the monitoring and adjustments phase. Your social media advertising team must monitor cost levels, bid adjustments, and ad performance to ensure the best possible results.

This is a full-time endeavor that requires a dedicated team. If you think your YouTube ads strategy may be too heavy for your in-house team, consider hiring a YouTube advertising agency. 

Benefits of Partnering with a YouTube Ads Agency

• Reduced In-House Workload
  • YouTube advertising, particularly YouTube TV, requires significant resources. An agency can help by managing large-scale campaigns, freeing up your in-house team to focus on other platforms that require less effort.
  • YouTube TV advertising, in particular, may be new to teams accustomed to traditional social media ads, making agency expertise invaluable for optimizing Connected TV placements and providing round-the-clock monitoring.
• Knowledge of Prevailing Costs and Performance
  • A YouTube marketing agency continuously analyzes campaign performance data and industry benchmarks, always aiming for better results.
• Access to Advanced AdTech Solutions
  • Our proprietary AI tool, Campaign Lab, utilizes more than 13 years of machine learning to help us with YouTube advertising campaigns from start to finish. It also performs its own monitoring and checks, alerting our teams to optimization opportunities across running YouTube ad campaigns.
• Proven Experience with Client Success Stories
  • Having worked with various brands across multiple industries gives a YouTube ads agency a broad perspective on what strategies work best for different audiences and objectives. From a portfolio of successful campaigns, here’s a handful of our successful YouTube campaigns with exceptional results:
    • 13% lower CPM than guaranteed for a YouTube CTV-focused campaign
    • 28% CPM reduction for QSR TrueView Ads In-stream and Connected TV placements
    • 5.3 million total video views for the Q4 HVAC brand campaign using Video Views Campaign

Achieve Greater YouTube Ad Results This 2025

Video advertising is rapidly growing, and YouTube continues to outpace other streaming and TV services, becoming an even more powerful platform for reaching your target audience. It’s the perfect time to capitalize on this opportunity and make the most of YouTube’s inventory and reach.

Start planning your YouTube ads strategy for 2025. Contact us today for a personalized walkthrough and start driving better results with your YouTube campaigns.

The post Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025 appeared first on Strike Social.

Getting Started with YouTube Pause Ads – What You Need to Know

Social media advertising networks aim to introduce innovative ad formats that allow brands to reach audiences without overwhelming them. YouTube Pause Ads are a prime example of this–offering a new, innovative way for brands to connect with audiences without disrupting their viewing experience. 

Unlike traditional ad formats, Pause Ads appear only when viewers intentionally pause a video, creating a subtle yet effective opportunity to capture attention. This non-intrusive approach makes them an ideal solution for advertisers looking to engage users without overwhelming them, offering a fresh alternative to YouTube’s growing ad ecosystem.

What is a YouTube Pause Screen Ad?

YouTube Pause Screen Ads are static, visual ads that appear 10 seconds after a viewer pauses their video. Rather than interrupting the content, these ads subtly pop up only when the viewer chooses to pause.

This format is YouTube’s response to other major Connected TV (CTV) platforms like Roku, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, which have recently introduced similar pause ads. Long-established platforms like Paramount, Max, Peacock, and Hulu have been using this ad format for years to engage viewers during natural breaks in content.

Currently, YouTube Pause Ads are exclusive to YouTube CTV viewers and are not yet rolled out on YouTube TV or Google TV. Advertisers have reported positive results from this format, particularly in driving brand recall, making it a promising addition to YouTube’s ad offerings.

---

Further Reading

How CTV Advertising Enhances Your Video Strategy

Connected TV (CTV) advertising has emerged as a powerful way for brands to capture more audience attention. Discover the key benefits of CTV advertising and how integrating it with your current social media campaigns can boost your overall video strategy for stronger results.

---

How Do Pause Ads on YouTube Work?

In addition to traditional formats like bumper and non-skippable ads, YouTube Pause Ads offer another effective way to engage YouTube CTV users on larger screens. Rather than displaying a grayed-out screen when a video is paused, YouTube delivers a static image ad that aligns with the viewer’s behavior and interests.

Here are the YouTube ad specs for creatives designed for pause screen ads:

• Pixel width: Minimum 1080, maximum 1350
• Pixel height: Minimum 1080, maximum 1350
• Image format: PNG, JPG
• Maximum file size: 2MB
• Aspect ratio: 4:5, 5:4 (avoid extreme ratios)
• Image quality: High-resolution, as large as possible for optimal display

To visualize this, take a look at this sample ad shown when pausing a movie trailer for the 2024 film Wicked on their YouTube Connected TV app. Instead of a blank screen, a YouTube pause ad from a movie ticket booking app will appear, perfectly timed to capture attention during the pause.

YouTube Pause Ads vs. Other YouTube Ad Formats

YouTube continues to innovate with ad formats that enhance user experience while offering new opportunities for advertisers. Pause screen ads are part of this evolution, allowing brands to engage with audiences in a more organic manner during natural viewing breaks. Let’s compare YouTube Pause Ads to other popular ad formats on YouTube:

How to Start Advertising with YouTube Pause Ads

No Rest for Scaling Campaigns with YouTube Pause Ads

As YouTube expands its avenues with additional advertising formats, brands and agencies must stay up-to-date with new ways to promote through video advertising. YouTube Pause Ads present a unique opportunity to engage your audience without interrupting their viewing experience, creating a more positive interaction that enhances awareness and brand recognition.

Transitioning to a new YouTube campaign could add pressure to your team, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Partnering with the right advertising expert can simplify the process significantly. With Strike Social’s SWAS AdTech service, you can effectively integrate pause screen ads into your media strategy and enhance your brand’s visibility on YouTube.

The post Getting Started with YouTube Pause Ads – What You Need to Know appeared first on Strike Social.

Maximize Your Reach by Exploring The Different Ad Formats on YouTube

If you’ve spent time on YouTube, you’ve encountered ads that pop up on your screen before the video starts or during the video you are watching. These ads aren’t random; they’re strategically placed to capture attention. And the good news is, you can utilize them too.

With a range of ad formats available to media buyers, you can expand your reach and tap into YouTube’s massive audience base. Join us as we explore the exciting possibilities of these YouTube advertising formats in this blog.

What Are The Different YouTube Ad Formats Available?

YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to cater to different viewing experiences, providing advertisers with a range of options to showcase their video ads. Let’s explore each available YouTube advertising format:

In-stream Ads

In-stream ads are video advertisements that appear before, during, or after a YouTube video. They come in both skippable and non-skippable formats, offering advertisers a cost-effective way to reach a broad audience. However, skippable ads allow viewers to skip after a few seconds, presenting a potential challenge for advertisers.

In-feed Ads

In-feed video ads seamlessly integrate into users’ YouTube feeds alongside organic content. These ads are highly targeted and blend naturally with the user experience, making them ideal for product consideration and retargeting campaigns.

Shorts Ads

Shorts ads are concise video or image ads that appear between Shorts in the YouTube Shorts feed. With a maximum duration of 60 seconds, these ads are strategically positioned within the Shorts feed, allowing advertisers to engage viewers with short, impactful content.

Outstream Ads

Outstream ads extend beyond the YouTube platform to Google Video Partners, allowing advertisers to reach audiences outside of YouTube. Despite being off-platform, these ads enable advertisers to connect with relevant audiences effectively.

---

Further Reading

Reach Household Audiences with YouTube Connected TV Ads

Uncover the potential of YouTube CTV ads to engage audiences and build brand awareness. Explore effective ways to convert viewers into leads and drive customer growth.

---

The Complete Breakdown of YouTube’s Video Ad Formats

Exploring the video ad formats available on YouTube is essential for understanding how your audience positions and views your ads. We will closely examine how the platform integrates them and analyze their integration.

In-stream

In-stream ads are inserted within other YouTube videos and can appear before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll), or after (post-roll) the main content. These ads may be skippable or non-skippable, depending on their length.

Skippable In-Stream Ads: Viewers can skip these ads after a few seconds.

Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads: Viewers must watch ads fully before proceeding to YouTube videos.

In-feed

These ads seamlessly integrate within the organic content in the YouTube feed, resembling organic videos with an “Ad” label. They offer high targeting precision and blend well with the user experience.

Another form of YouTube in-feed ads are the Masthead ads. These premium display ads appear at the top of the YouTube homepage for a set duration (only available through reservation via a Google sales representative).

YouTube Shorts

Short video ads, limited to 60 seconds, are displayed while scrolling within the YouTube Shorts feed.

Outstream

Video ads are displayed outside of YouTube on websites and apps partnered with Google’s video network and are available in various formats like banners or expandable video players.

Other YouTube advertising formats

How Do I Choose The Best YouTube Ad Format For My Campaign Goals?

Selecting the most suitable YouTube ad format requires alignment with your campaign objectives and target audience. 

For instance, integrating ads within searches and utilizing Google Video Partners can reach individuals outside the traditional YouTube user base but share interests with your target audience. Conversely, advertising directly on YouTube allows for precise targeting of users actively seeking relevant content.

Consider developing a comprehensive framework that evaluates these factors to facilitate decision-making. By carefully assessing your campaign objectives and understanding the distinctive characteristics of each ad format, you can make strategic choices to optimize your campaign’s performance.

Here’s a table summarizing the key characteristics and ideal uses for each YouTube ad format:

YouTube Ad Questions from Media Buyers

Can I have multiple YouTube ad formats in one campaign?

✓

• Yes, you can have multiple ad formats in one campaign to diversify your reach and engage with different audience segments.

• For example, Video View campaigns (VVCs) allow your ads to be placed across various formats like Skippable In-Stream, In-Feed, or Shorts.

Are bumper ads more effective than longer video ads?

✓

• The effectiveness of an ad depends on various factors, including the message, creativity, and target audience.

• Bumper ads, for instance, excel in building brand awareness due to their short length and lack of explicit call to action. On the other hand, longer video ads like non-skippable in-stream formats can be more effective for product consideration. These formats allow for storytelling and can prompt viewers to take action, such as clicking on a link or registering on a website.

Are there some YouTube ad formats that typically cost more than others?

✓

Absolutely! YouTube ad formats vary in cost, and some tend to be pricier than others. Here’s a general cost comparison based on industry reports and trends:

• Important Note: The actual CPV for your campaign can be higher or lower depending on factors like targeting, industry, competition, and even the time of year.

How do YouTube ads compare to other advertising platforms?

✓

• Advertising on YouTube already presents an opportunity to reach a broad audience.

• One advantage of advertising exclusively on YouTube is the transparency regarding the channels and videos where your ads appear, unlike expanding to Google Video Partners and the Search network, where it may be unclear which websites and search results feature your video ads.

What YouTube Ads Format Best Suits Your Campaign Goals?

As you progress in launching your YouTube ad campaigns, the process reveals itself to be more intricate than anticipated. With each step, you uncover many possibilities and encounter unexpected limitations. That’s why you have this trusted guide — a resource to turn to whenever you feel overwhelmed or uncertain about navigating through YouTube advertising.

Be sure to bookmark this page for future reference, as we’ll continue to update it with any new developments or insights that YouTube unveils. Keep your eyes peeled and hop on to our next YouTube blog to keep you informed.

The post What YouTube Ad Formats Can Advertisers Utilize? appeared first on Strike Social.

This post was updated in February 2025 to provide you with the latest information.

What Exciting Features Does the YouTube Shorts Update Bring?

The popularity of YouTube Shorts, especially among the younger demographic, has only ever increased. Launched in 2020, YouTube Shorts emerged as a dedicated platform for short-form video content and later expanded to a global audience by March 2021. By September of the same year, YouTube Shorts ads became a staple, establishing itself as a standard ad placement.

With 135% YoY growth, YouTube Shorts provides unparalleled visibility. You can refine your strategies to engage viewers on this vast platform by staying informed about YouTube Shorts advertising updates. Seize the opportunity to showcase your brand to a broader audience and grab attention when your audience scrolls in YouTube Shorts. 

YouTube Shorts has undergone a remarkable transformation, consistently adapting to provide enhanced experiences for advertisers and increased viewer engagement. Explore the key milestones in the evolution of YouTube Shorts ads:

YouTube Shorts Advertising Updates: What You Need to Know

Which YouTube Shorts update truly matters for your campaigns? Let’s dissect the recent changes, focusing on what’s crucial for advertisers:

YouTube Shorts Usage by Advertisers

YouTube Shorts has quickly become a favorite amongst US advertisers in the span of the 3 years that it has been launched. 

• Statista shares that 43% of US advertisers in 2022 has listed YouTube Shorts on the top 3 list of ad buyer preferences for advertising on social video platforms. 

• In a 2023 study conducted by Fliki, YouTube Shorts showcased impressive growth despite its relatively recent entry into the short-form content arena. The experiment involved posting 20 videos across YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels over two weeks. The results, as presented below, unveil the platform’s significant traction:

The data speaks volumes: Instagram Reels exhibited minimal engagement, recording only a single view across all 20 videos over the span of two weeks. While TikTok stands out as a formidable force, it’s YouTube Shorts that takes the lead.

• Adding another layer to the narrative is VaynerMedia. By running campaigns tailored to maximize Shorts inventory, utilizing vertical video ad assets and concentrating ad delivery on mobile devices, they estimate a 20% to 30% reduction in cost-per-thousand-view (CPM) compared to traditional YouTube ad inventory. This cost-effective advantage positions YouTube Shorts as an attractive platform for advertisers seeking efficiency without compromising impact.

YouTube Shorts Ad Placements

Demand Gen Campaigns

Formerly Video Action Campaigns, Demand Gen aims to drive conversions on and off YouTube within a single automated campaign. YouTube Shorts feed on mobile devices is a key distribution channel for Demand Gen. Adding a vertical video asset to a VAC delivers 10-20% more conversions than using only horizontal videos for YouTube Shorts ads.

VVC (YouTube Video Views Campaigns)

Aiming to maximize views at a lower cost, VVC strategically places video ads where they perform best. With Video View Campaigns, YouTube recognizes more views at lower costs, counting views at 10 seconds autoplay or a click.

---

Further Reading

5 Reasons Why Google TV Ads Should Be Part of Your YouTube Ads Strategy

To maximize the effectiveness of your video view campaign ads, they must be optimized for different YouTube placements and formats. Knowing these safe zones ensures your ads display correctly and maintain their impact, no matter where they appear.

---

Ad Buying Program for YouTube Shorts

As of now, advertisers can purchase Shorts inventory bundled with other YouTube inventory through video campaigns via Demand Gen or video objective.

The new YouTube Shorts update has introduced the ability to exclusively target Shorts inventory – a notable addition to the platform’s product suite. This feature is currently in the testing phase, initiated over the summer. This update primarily aims to allow brands to advertise solely within the YouTube Shorts environment.

Advertisers can start by employing basic targeting such as age, gender, and geolocation. Taking customization a step further, advertisers can also target Shorts ads based on specific content categories. This update does not offer targeting based on specific channels or videos. However, with each YouTube Shorts update, there’s always a promise of potential advancements in future iterations.

Amid these developments, optimism resonates from the buyer side of the advertising spectrum. The evolving capabilities of YouTube Shorts generate positive anticipation as the platform continues providing advertisers with effective strategic campaign tools. 

In the Holiday Spirit: How Are YouTube Shorts Faring This Season?

The impact of VAC integration is vividly reflected in the substantial upswing in click-through rates.

By placing ads directly within the Shorts feed, we’ve enhanced the accessibility of our campaigns, encouraging users to engage and interact with our content more meaningfully.

The ability of YouTube Shorts to capture attention in as little as 10 to 60 seconds, has become a driving force behind the efficiency of our campaigns.

Our YouTube ad campaigns have experienced a festive flourish as the holiday season approached. There has been a discernible 12.1% drop in CPM and a concurrent rise in click-through rates (CTR). These trends accentuate the substantial impact of YouTube Shorts from November 2022 H1 to November 2022 H2. 

Could YouTube Shorts Advertising Be Your Brand’s Breakthrough?

While acknowledging the accomplishments of each YouTube Shorts update, it’s clear that there’s still room for innovation. The platform’s rapid growth to 50 billion daily views solidifies its standing as a powerful stage for advertisers globally. YouTube Shorts, though still in its early stages, has already demonstrated considerable promise. 

The central question now beckons advertisers—are you ready to jump into the YouTube Shorts advertising hype? Is this platform the right fit for your brand’s advertising endeavors? With its expansive reach and evolving features, YouTube Shorts presents a compelling opportunity for those seeking to impact short-form video advertising significantly.

The post What’s the Latest: A Comprehensive Guide to YouTube Shorts Updates appeared first on Strike Social.

Our team analyzed this new objective, a new tool powered by Google AI, to validate its effectiveness. By comparing the performance metrics of our in-stream skippable campaigns against those of the Video View Campaign over the past month, we observed a notable 46% decrease in cost per view (CPV).

This article will help you understand the mechanics of the Video View Campaign and explore how it can significantly boost YouTube ads’ video views.

Breaking Down YouTube Video View Campaign

YouTube launched its innovative ad solution, Video View campaign, in Q3 2023. This AI-driven approach helps advertisers boost the number of views their YouTube ads receive.

The giant video platform’s cutting-edge AI technology creates a seamless transition of creative and targeting across various YouTube formats—ad placements in-stream, in-feed, and the popular short-form video on the platform, YouTube Shorts.

Maximizing AI capabilities, VVC intelligently places ads where they are most likely to be viewed and engaged, ensuring that advertisers get the most out of their ads. The YouTube Video View Campaign technology places ads in the most optimal format for viewer engagement, whether traditional in-stream videos, dynamic in-feed placements, or short and engaging YouTube Shorts.

• Skippable In-Stream
  placement

• In-Feed
  placement

• YouTube Shorts
  placement

This flexibility is crucial in an era where consumer preferences constantly shift, and the one-size-fits-all approach is no longer viable.

What to Avoid When Running YouTube Video View Campaign

VVC cannot always guarantee success and flowers like any other AI-powered tool. To fully benefit from the efficiency of the new ad format, it’s essential to address the critical factors that may affect ad performance or costs.

Here are the common mistakes to avoid when running a YouTube Video View Campaign. 

Demonstrating VVC’s Efficiency Through Data

The introduction of the YouTube Video View Campaign (VVC) has been revolutionary. Our trend analysis from the beta stage in August to the global launch in October paints a picture of increasing efficiency that is hard to ignore.

Slashing Ad Cost While Boosting YouTube Ads Views

During the beta phase in August, the Cost Per View (CPV) for VVC was already promising, showcasing a significant month-over-month improvement. By September, this trend continued, with CPV dipping further by almost 9%, and an even more striking shift was observed in October. October CPV has increased dramatically improved by 35%, signifying the efficiencies of VVC starting to kick in.

In the transition from August to September, there was a noticeable shift in user engagement and cost efficiency, with each device showcasing unique patterns. All these patterns lead to cost efficiency and a boost in ad views. Connected TV and mobiles lead the way in viewing metrics, and the trend strengthened come October.

CPV saw a substantial reduction of approximately 35%, with Connected TVs and Mobiles emerging as the frontrunners in engagement and viewer retention. The VTR on Connected TVs and Mobiles soared 94% and 51%, respectively, while Desktops displayed a remarkable increase in average video duration, pointing towards a more captivated audience.

These insights demonstrate the transformative impact of VVC across various devices, cementing its place as a critical tool in YouTube video marketing and advertising strategies.

VVC Versus Traditional Methods

Our recent analysis comparing Video View Campaigns (VVC) with TrueView Instream Skippable ads highlights a distinct advantage regarding cost efficiency and campaign performance for VVC. The data is telling: TrueView Skippable ads, a staple in many digital advertising arsenals, show an average Cost Per View (CPV) of 46% higher than VVC.

When considering Cost Per Mille (CPM) as another vital metric, Video View Campaigns stand out as economical and effective. This is not a minor improvement; a 70% reduction in CPM represents a significant leap in advertising effectiveness. This Google AI-powered campaign strategy offers an overlooked yet crucial benefit – it reduces costs significantly, making VVC a powerful tool to boost the efficiency of YouTube video ads.

Take the Leap: Explore YouTube Video View Campaign Today

As we’ve seen, Video View Campaigns (VVC) represent a modern approach and a pivotal factor in reshaping how brands engage with audiences on YouTube. VVC’s proven efficiency in reducing Cost Per View (CPV) and enhancing viewer engagement redefines video advertising standards.

This innovative strategy, powered by Google AI, is a testament to the power of leveraging cutting-edge technology, where audiences from different placements differ. It crafts campaigns that resonate more deeply with viewers, ensuring your brand’s message is seen and remembered. Our analysis highlights advertisers’ need to integrate VVC into their YouTube video marketing strategies, particularly in an era where a robust digital presence is critical to brand success.

The superiority of VVC in our head-to-head comparison extends beyond mere cost savings. By adopting the VVC objective, advertisers are not just following a trend but setting the pace and staying ahead of competitors. VVC offers nearly double the efficiency in viewer engagement at a significantly lower cost, empowering advertisers to boost YouTube ad views and optimize their budget allocation more effectively.

Expand your expertise. Browse Strike Social’s latest blogs here:

• 
  Marketing to Gen Z: Social Media Strategies for Performance-Driven Brands
• 
  TikTok News and Updates Q1 2025: What Advertisers Need to Know
• 
  YouTube Shorts Views Are Changing: How You Can Adapt Your Paid Ads Strategy
• 
  7 Social Media Advertising Trends You Should Know in 2025
• 
  Increase YouTube Subscribers with Google Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide
• 
  Easter Day Sales Strategy: Drive More Conversions with Demand Gen Ads

The post Boost Your YouTube Ads Views with Video View Campaign appeared first on Strike Social.

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
  • How to Set Up a Video Action Campaign (VAC)
  • How to Set Up a Video Views Campaign (VVC)

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)

Video Action Campaigns (VAC)

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)

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)

1. Log in to your Google Ads account and click on New campaign. 
2. From the Smart Campaigns window, click on Switch to Expert Mode to access more advanced options.
3. Choose Awareness and consideration as your campaign objective.
4. For the campaign type, select Video. 
5. Under the campaign subtype, select Video views. Click Continue to proceed.
6. 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).
7. Create a name for your ad group. Define your audience targeting and contextual targeting.
8. You can add up to 5 videos for VVCs. Google’s AI will recommend including videos with different orientations to boost views.
9. Specify the target CPV bid for your campaign. Google’s AI will optimize bids to maximize the number of views.
10. 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.

Expand your expertise. Browse Strike Social’s latest blogs here:

• 
  Marketing to Gen Z: Social Media Strategies for Performance-Driven Brands
• 
  TikTok News and Updates Q1 2025: What Advertisers Need to Know
• 
  YouTube Shorts Views Are Changing: How You Can Adapt Your Paid Ads Strategy

The post Picking the Perfect YouTube Video Ad Format: YouTube Video View Campaign vs. YouTube Video Action Campaign appeared first on Strike Social.

With such buzz surrounding it, let us unpack the benefits of YouTube VVC and understand what makes it stand out from the existing video campaigns. 

YouTube Video View Campaigns: The Next Big Step in Video Advertising

According to Google’s research, 87% of consumers credit YouTube with expediting their purchase choices. The study prompts two crucial questions: What unique attributes can YouTube Video View campaigns offer to capitalize on this data? Should marketers leap VVCs for their upcoming campaigns?

As YouTube’s Video View campaigns gain ground, it’s a trend that commands attention. Let’s explore the potential of this innovative campaign format and evaluate how it stands up against the relentless competition.

• What is a YouTube Video View Campaign?
  • How Does YouTube Video View Campaigns Work?
• What are the Benefits of Using YouTube Video View Campaigns?
• Reimagine Your Marketing Mix with YouTube Video View Campaigns

What is a YouTube Video View Campaign?

Recently, Google introduced two new campaign types: Video View campaigns and Demand Gen. While they tailor Demand Gen for distribution across YouTube, YouTube Shorts, Discover, and Gmail, Video View Campaigns primarily target the YouTube ecosystem.

How Does YouTube Video View Campaigns Work?

The primary objective of this campaign type is to maximize views. To clarify, brands use Video Views campaigns to amplify their videos’ reach, fostering awareness through efficient, high-quality views. YouTube VVC boosts views across various placements: in-stream, in-feed, and even YouTube Shorts, all under a single campaign.

Let’s visualize this in action:

Skippable In-Stream

In-feed

Shorts

Advertisers can distribute their YouTube ads across various placements by utilizing a single creative. The new ad format allows media buyers to capitalize on the opportunity to increase video views and engagement significantly. This approach simplifies the process for marketers, expanding content reach to a diverse range of viewers on the platform.

What are the Benefits of Using YouTube Video View Campaigns?

More Views at Lower Costs

In Google’s initial testing phase from January to February 2023, YouTube Video View campaigns delivered an average of 40% more views than in-stream skippable cost-per-view campaigns. Additionally, they offer the advantage of more views while maintaining cost-effectiveness, especially when compared to in-stream ads alone.

New Standard with 10-Second Views (for In-Feed Video)

Have you encountered ads that automatically start playing in your YouTube home feed without any interaction from your end?

For YouTube Video View campaigns, achieving view counts has been redefined. There are two possible scenarios:  

• A user actively clicks on the ad’s video thumbnail in the feed, leading them to the ad’s watch page or
• A user engages with the content by watching 10 or more seconds of autoplay (deduped).

In contrast, the regular in-feed video format (non-VVC) counts a view only when a user clicks on the ad’s video, taking them to the ad’s watch page.

Optimizing the User Experience

Advertisers should optimize their ads across different formats to fully utilize Video View campaigns. Such optimization involves refining bidding strategies and choosing the right assets to achieve maximum views. Using YouTube’s AI-powered ads, campaigns integrate seamlessly into users’ viewing experiences, blending naturally with the content viewers enjoy.

Video View campaigns (VVC) are media buyers’ key to raising view count across YouTube’s various video ad formats. This method involves the selection and delivery of top-performing creatives to audiences with a higher likelihood of engaging with your brand. By adopting this approach, you prioritize user experience and gain views from audiences who are already interested in your industry or have previously interacted with your content.

Reimagine Your Marketing Mix with YouTube Video View Campaigns

As digital advertising evolves, it’s crucial to explore innovations like YouTube Video View campaigns. The evidence is already beginning to accumulate, with Google proving the positive impact of VVCs on your advertising strategies. The extensive reach of YouTube, coupled with the tailored approach of Video View campaigns, makes it possible to connect with potential customers when they’re most receptive. 

Do you think this approach is in sync with your marketing objectives? It’s natural to approach new techniques cautiously, particularly considering that YouTube’s Video Action campaigns have already made their mark. However, the data reveals that YouTube Video View campaigns can benefit your marketing mix. And so, the real question is: how soon will you seize this opportunity to expand your reach within YouTube’s vast platform?

Expand your expertise. Browse Strike Social’s latest blogs here:

• 
  Marketing to Gen Z: Social Media Strategies for Performance-Driven Brands
• 
  TikTok News and Updates Q1 2025: What Advertisers Need to Know
• 
  YouTube Shorts Views Are Changing: How You Can Adapt Your Paid Ads Strategy
• 
  7 Social Media Advertising Trends You Should Know in 2025
• 
  Increase YouTube Subscribers with Google Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide
• 
  Easter Day Sales Strategy: Drive More Conversions with Demand Gen Ads

The post Video Advertising Evolved: YouTube Video View Campaigns in Focus appeared first on Strike Social.