What are YouTube In-feed video ads (formerly known as YouTube discovery advertising)?

YouTube In-feed video ads is a type of advertising on the YouTube platform that allows advertisers to target users who are not actively searching for their brand or products, but are instead browsing through YouTube’s recommended videos. The goal of discovery advertising is to increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers. This type of advertising typically appears in the form of sponsored videos or display ads that appear in the YouTube search results, suggested videos, and on the YouTube homepage.

In-feed video ads are a powerful way for advertisers to reach new potential customers on the YouTube platform. These ads are designed to target users who are not actively searching for a specific brand or product, but are instead browsing through YouTube’s recommended videos. YouTube discovery ads are usually placed in a number of key locations on the platform, including the YouTube search results, suggested videos, and on the YouTube homepage.

Advertisers can use In-feed video ads to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, and generate leads. They can be used to promote a wide range of products and services, from consumer goods to B2B services. Additionally, YouTube discovery ads can be highly targeted, allowing advertisers to reach specific demographics, interests, and even specific channels.

In-feed video ads are generally less expensive than other types of YouTube ads, such as in-stream ads, but they are still an effective way to reach a large audience. The key to success with YouTube discovery ads is to create high-quality, engaging content that will capture users’ attention and encourage them to take action.

What’s the difference between In-Stream ads and In-feed video ads?

YouTube In-stream ads and discovery ads are both types of advertising on the YouTube platform, but they function in different ways.

In-stream ads are ads that play before, during, or after a video on YouTube. They are also known as “pre-roll,” “mid-roll,” and “post-roll” ads. These ads are typically skippable after 5 seconds, and can be up to 30 seconds long. They are intended to reach a specific audience that is watching a specific video or channel. In-stream ads are a way for advertisers to reach a highly engaged audience and get their message in front of potential customers at the right time.

Discovery ads, on the other hand, are ads that appear in the YouTube search results, suggested videos, and on the YouTube homepage. These ads are intended to reach users who are not actively searching for a specific brand or product, but are instead browsing through YouTube’s recommended videos. The goal of discovery ads is to increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers. These ads can be used to promote a wide range of products and services, from consumer goods to B2B services. Additionally, Discovery ads can be highly targeted, allowing advertisers to reach specific demographics, interests, and even specific channels.

In summary, In-stream ads are videos ads that are intended to reach a specific audience that is watching a specific video or channel while Discovery ads are intended to reach users who are not actively searching for a specific brand or product but are instead browsing through YouTube’s recommended videos.

Requirements to run In-feed video ads

There are several requirements that advertisers must meet in order to run a YouTube discovery advertisement:

1. Advertiser account: To run a YouTube discovery advertisement, you will need to have a Google Ads account. This is the platform that YouTube uses to manage and run its advertising. You will need to sign up for an account and link it to your YouTube channel.
   
   
2. YouTube channel: To run a YouTube discovery advertisement, you will need to have a YouTube channel. The channel should be active and have some content on it.
   
   
3. Ad campaign: You will need to create an ad campaign within Google Ads. This will include setting a budget, targeting options, and ad format. YouTube discovery ads can be run as video ads or display ads.
   
   
4. Video or image assets: You will need to create or upload video or image assets for your ad. The video or image should be high-quality and engaging, and should align with the goal of your campaign.
   
   
5. Ad targeting: You will need to set up targeting options for your ad campaign. This includes targeting specific demographics, interests, and even specific channels. This will help ensure that your ad is seen by the right audience.
   
   
6. Ad format: YouTube discovery ads can be run as video ads or display ads. Video ads can be up to 30 seconds long and should be skippable after 5 seconds, while display ads can be a static image or a short video.
   
   
7. Ad destination: You will need to set the destination of your ad, this could be a website, a landing page, a YouTube video or channel.
   
   
8. Compliance: All ads must comply with YouTube’s advertising policies, including guidelines on content, targeting, and data collection. Advertisers must also comply with all relevant laws and regulations.

It’s worth noting that YouTube discovery ads can be run through Google Ads and it’s important to be familiar with the platform and the different options and settings it offers, in order to make the most of your campaign.

Where do YouTube In-feed video ads appear?

YouTube discovery ads appear in several key locations on the YouTube platform:

1. YouTube Search Results: YouTube discovery ads can appear in the search results when a user searches for a specific keyword or phrase. These ads are designed to reach users who are actively looking for information on a particular topic.
   
   
2. Suggested Videos: YouTube discovery ads can appear in the suggested videos that appear on the right-hand side of the YouTube player. These ads are designed to reach users who are watching a specific video and are likely to be interested in similar content.
   
   
3. YouTube Homepage: YouTube discovery ads can appear on the YouTube homepage, which is the first page that users see when they visit the site. These ads are designed to reach a wide audience of users who are browsing the site.
   
   
4. YouTube’s mobile apps: YouTube discovery ads can also appear on the mobile apps, which includes the main YouTube app and YouTube Kids app, this allows advertisers to reach users who are accessing YouTube via mobile devices.
   
   
5. YouTube Gaming: YouTube discovery ads can also appear on the YouTube Gaming app, which is a dedicated app for gaming content, this allows advertisers to reach users who are watching and engaging with gaming content.
   
   

It’s worth noting that the placement of the ad may vary depending on the targeting options and the budget set for the campaign. With the right targeting, these ads can be highly effective at reaching new potential customers and increasing brand awareness.

How much do YoutTube In-feed video ads cost?

The cost of YouTube discovery ads, also known as YouTube advertising, can vary depending on a number of factors, including the targeting options, ad format, and the competition for ad space. Generally, the cost of YouTube advertising is determined by an auction system, where advertisers bid on ad space and the highest bidder wins.

One of the most common pricing models for YouTube advertising is the CPC (cost-per-click) model, where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad. The cost per click can vary widely, depending on the targeting options and the competition for ad space. Another pricing model is the CPM (cost per thousand views) model, where advertisers pay for each thousand views of their ad, this model is more common for display ads.

The cost of YouTube advertising also depends on the target audience, the more specific and niche your target audience is, the less competition there will be and therefore the lower the cost. Additionally, the cost can also be influenced by the ad format, for example, video ads tend to be more expensive than display ads.

It’s worth noting that YouTube advertising costs can be managed and controlled by setting a daily or total budget for your campaign, this will help to avoid overspending. Additionally, you can use the tools and metrics provided by Google Ads to track the performance of your ads and optimize your campaign accordingly.

Are Youtube Discovery ads worth it?

Whether or not YouTube video discovery ads, also known as video discovery ads, are worth it depends on the specific goals and objectives of your advertising campaign. Video discovery ads can be an effective way to increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers on the YouTube platform.

Video discovery ads allow advertisers to reach a large audience of users who are browsing through YouTube’s recommended videos. These ads can be highly targeted, allowing advertisers to reach specific demographics, interests, and even specific channels. Additionally, video discovery ads can be less expensive than other types of YouTube ads, such as in-stream ads.

On the other hand, video discovery ads may not be as effective as other types of advertising for driving direct sales or conversions. Since video discovery ads are intended to reach users who are not actively searching for a specific brand or product, it can be harder to measure the ROI of these ads.

It’s worth noting that the success of video discovery ads depends on the ad content and targeting, a well-produced and targeted video ad can generate a high number of views and engagement but a poorly executed video ad may not generate any results. Therefore, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your target audience and to create high-quality, engaging video content that aligns with your advertising goals.

Overall, video discovery ads can be a valuable addition to an overall advertising strategy, but it’s important to weigh the pros and cons and determine if video discovery ads align with the specific goals of your campaign.

What are the pros and cons of Youtube Ads?

YouTube Ads, including TrueView video discovery ads, offer a number of benefits and drawbacks for advertisers.

Pros:

1. Large audience: YouTube has a massive user base, making it an ideal platform for reaching a large audience. TrueView video discovery ads can help advertisers to increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers.
   
   
2. Targeting options: YouTube Ads, offer a wide range of targeting options, such as demographics, interests, and even specific channels. This allows advertisers to reach a highly targeted audience.
   
   
3. Cost-effective: Video ads are generally less expensive than other types of YouTube ads, such as in-stream ads. This makes YouTube Ads a cost-effective way to reach a large audience.
   
   
4. Measurable: YouTube Ads, come with a range of metrics and tools that allow advertisers to track the performance of their ads and optimize their campaign accordingly.

Cons:

1. Limited control over ad placement: YouTube Ads, including TrueView video discovery ads, may not appear in the desired location or context. This can make it harder to reach the right audience.
   
   
2. Competition for ad space: With the increasing number of advertisers on YouTube, the competition for ad space can be high, which can drive up the cost of TrueView video discovery ads.
   
   
3. Limited ability to drive direct sales: TrueView video discovery ads are intended to reach users who are not actively searching for a specific brand or product. This can make it harder to measure the ROI of these ads and drive direct sales.
   
   
4. Ad fraud: like any online advertising platform, YouTube is also affected by ad fraud, where advertisers are charged for views or clicks that are generated by bots or fake accounts.
   
   

Overall, YouTube Ads, including TrueView video discovery ads, can be a powerful way to reach a large audience and increase brand awareness. However, it’s important to consider the potential drawbacks and to have a clear understanding of your target audience and advertising goals before launching a campaign.

In conclusion, YouTube advertising, including TrueView video discovery ads, can be a powerful way to reach a large audience and increase brand awareness. However, it’s important to understand the targeting options, ad formats, and pricing models in order to make the most of your advertising efforts. By using tools like Google Ads and the PPC Ad Editor, you can create and test different variations of your video ads, and optimize your campaign to reach the right audience at the right time.

Additionally, by understanding the performance of your ads and making adjustments accordingly, you can avoid common mistakes and increase the chances of success. If you’re thinking of launching a YouTube advertising campaign, we recommend giving PPC Ad Editor a try, this tool will help you to create and test different variations of your video ads, and optimize your campaign to reach the right audience at the right time.