YouTube ads are an incredibly powerful marketing tool.
According to Google, people who watched a 30-second YouTube ad for a brand were 23 times more likely to subscribe to the brand’s channel and watch more of their videos.
Even people who didn’t make it through the whole ad were 10 times more likely to interact with the brand further by watching, sharing, or subscribing to their videos.
If you want to boost engagement on your videos, generate leads, and increase revenue, incorporating YouTube ads into your marketing strategy is a great way to do it.
But not all ads are going to give you the results that you want. If you run a lackluster ad campaign, YouTube users aren’t going to be inspired to watch the rest of your content.
That’s why you and your team have to work on creating the best ads you possibly can. Here are the 3 essential elements of a YouTube ad that you absolutely have to include if you want your campaign to be successful.
The 3 most essential elements of YouTube video ads
1) Noticeable branding
Most YouTube ads are quite short — between 5 and 30 seconds. This doesn’t give you much time to build brand recognition, so you have to make sure that your branding is front and center in your video.
There are a few different ways to do this. One is to start off the video with a shot of your product or logo so that it’s the first thing viewers see.
Another option is to put your logo on display in the corner of the screen throughout the whole video. This familiarizes viewers with your logo and increases brand recall.
An additional way to incorporate your branding into your video is to use your brand’s color palette throughout. If you have actors or props, get them in your brand’s primary colors to reinforce your brand identity.
2) Attention-grabbing audio
Unlike ads on other social channels, YouTube ads are usually viewed with the sound on. This gives you a chance to really make an impact with your video’s audio.
Putting a catchy song in your video or hiring a voice actor to read your script is a great way to grab and hold the attention of your viewers.
If your video isn’t going to have a strong audio component, make sure that you include another attention-grabbing element like quick, crisp editing.
3) Mobile optimisation
Optimising your video ad for mobile devices is extremely important if you want your campaign to be successful.
According to Buffer:
The majority of YouTube watching happens on mobile devices, so you’ll want to consider this experience when you’re coming up with your ad idea and your production. For instance, consider how people are using their phones — people may be watching on battery saving mode which means darker screens and less visibility, so bright colors and big text will make the biggest impact in your ad.
You should also test your video ad on your smartphone to make sure it looks great on darker screens and in horizontal and vertical modes before you run it.
YouTube ads are a great way to generate brand awareness and new leads, but only if they’re done right. If you follow these tips and invest in the production quality of your video ad, then you’re on the right track to a successful campaign.