Chances are you spend a good portion of your time browsing the Internet watching YouTube videos. If so, you’ve probably noticed that video ads often appear at the beginning or mid-stream of the content you’re viewing, and perhaps also alongside it in the suggested playlist.
Well, when that happens, you’re dealing with nothing more and nothing less than TrueView . These are ads that appear in video format while you’re playing any content on YouTube, as long as you’re not using the premium version .
TrueView ads can be presented in a variety of formats , from short, five-second clips to full-length, must-watch videos of up to 15 seconds.
For some, it may be a nuisance, but we assure you that on more than one occasion, you’ve enjoyed the content being advertised. That’s due to the intelligence of Google’s algorithm: it won’t show you something unless it thinks you might like it.
It’s one of the most effective methods of advertising online because it completely captures users’ attention, both visually and audibly. You’ll have a potential customer focused on you for a short period of time. So you better take advantage of it!
Want to learn more about TrueView and how to use it in an effective marketing campaign? Then don’t miss out, as we’ll tell you everything you need to know below. Let’s get started!
How do TrueView ads work on YouTube?
TrueView takes advantage of YouTube’s massive appeal by inserting ads in the form of small video capsules.
TrueView ads must meet certain parameters set by YouTube in order to make them easier for users to consume, something we’ll discuss later when we explain how to create a TrueView campaign .
One of the unique features of this type of ad is that users can skip them after 5 seconds of playback, and sometimes you won’t even have the opportunity to show more than your video’s thumbnail.
For this reason, you need to think carefully about what you’ll present in your content: you have very little time to capture people’s attention . So you better be creative!
Benefits of TrueView ads
The TrueView format offers countless advantages that you should definitely take advantage of. Here are the most notable ones:
- Native: What do we mean by this? It means that TrueView ads will always be shown in a favorable context. For example, if you’re trying to broadcast a video ad for a brand of athletic shoes, your ad will only be shown to people watching related videos, perhaps on channels related to sports or casual fashion. This minimizes the impact on the user experience.
- TrueView only charges you for views: other methods, such as Cost-Per-Click or Cost-Per-Impressions, don’t apply to this type of ad. Google will charge you for the number of people who choose to watch your video. This is an extremely convenient system because you’ll only pay for those who are interested in your ad. You pay for clicks from people who are likely to convert through your ad!
- Targeting Options: TrueView is part of the Google Ads family, so you get the same tools to segment your market, allowing you to be much more precise. It’s then up to you to decide which features are most interesting for advertising purposes, from demographics to location.
TrueView format types
There are many types of TrueView , and it’s a good idea to understand them all so you can choose the presentation that best suits your needs.
- TrueView In-Stream: These are typical ads that last 5 seconds on your screen. After that time, the user can decide whether to continue watching them or skip them. In this case, Google will only charge you when people watch the ad for 30 seconds or interact with it.
- TrueView Discovery: It works similarly to a search engine. When you enter a certain combination of keywords into the YouTube search engine, some results will appear labeled “Ad.” These, of course, will be related to the search in question.
- TrueView in the selection panel: This option only applies to videos longer than 10 minutes. The user will see thumbnails of a series of video ads on the right side of the screen, which they will be required to watch. Otherwise, the ads will be evenly distributed throughout the video, resembling typical TV commercials.
- TrueView In-Display: Represented by the featured videos that appear on the right side of the screen while watching a video. This ad directly relates to the content you entered into the search engine, but it won’t play automatically, so the user must click on it.
How to create a TrueView ad campaign on YouTube?
Before starting a TrueView campaign on YouTube, it’s best to consider the following steps:
- You must start by logging into your Google Ads account using your Gmail email address and password.
- Then you will have to go to the left panel of the screen and click on ” Campaigns “.
- Thirdly, press ” New Campaign ” and assign it a name and an objective.
- The next step is to choose the type of format for your campaign from the different options presented in the previous point.
- Next, you’ll need to indicate your available budget , as well as the dates between which you want your campaign to be active.
- You’ll need to continue setting certain settings related to the geographic targeting of your ads… among other options that aim to ensure your ads reach the intended audience.
- Once you complete the previous step, you’ll need to enter the URL containing the video that will be displayed as TrueView . You’ll also need to insert the link that people will be redirected to once they click on the ad.
- Finally, you’ll need to add a call to action, as well as the title of the ad that will be shown to viewers. You’ll also need to upload a thumbnail image, which will be the banner that will be displayed as a preview image for the video.
Tips for leveraging a TrueView campaign on YouTube
- You must be careful when selecting the type of format to present. Remember that, depending on what you want to advertise, you may require more screen time. Study all the alternatives carefully: For many, Discovery has the best viewership rate, while In-Stream is the best option for capturing web traffic.
- Take advantage of the targeting options Google Ads offers to segment the audience to whom your ads will be shown. Remember that you can use geotargeting criteria, or perhaps rely on keywords . You can also target your ad based on your audience’s interests. You have many possibilities!
- Perhaps the most important piece of advice you can receive is to ensure the quality of the content you present, otherwise you’ll receive negative publicity. From the preliminary video capture to the audiovisual material, everything must be carefully curated!
