We've all used Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads, Google AdWords, and maybe even Instagram Ads. But how many of you used or are planning to use YouTube Ads?
I hope the answer will be all of you, because otherwise you'll miss out on some great opportunities for your business.
Why should you use YouTube ads
Here are some amazing facts that will make you consider YouTube advertising:
- YouTube has more than a billion users.
- Every single day, people generate billions of views.
- YouTube has a local version in more than 70 countries.
- 80% of views come from people who are outside the US.
- More than 50% of people watch YouTube videos from a mobile device.
Let that sink in for a minute. Well, if these stats won't make you want to start using YouTube ads, I don't know what will.
But if you're already convinced, then we should just move on to the most common mistakes you should avoid when it comes to YouTube advertising.
Mistake #1: Bad targeting your in-stream ads
In-stream ads are those ads we see at the beginning of a YouTube video, and they usually have a skip button. The problem with these is the fact that they can be extremely ineffective if they don't target the right audience.
When looking at your analytics, the only thing you will see is that people skipped like crazy, even though your ad was looking pretty sharp.
For example, a man who is interested in watching a video about the latest technology for connected cars is highly unlikely to also want to watch an ad about Nivea's newest face cream for women.
Mistake #2: Being boring
With videos, you have to act fast. You must be able to capture the viewers' attention in the first 5-10 seconds, especially if you're using in-stream ads. If the viewer will not hear or see anything interesting that will make him want to keep watching, then be sure that he will hit the skip button without even batting an eye.
People's attention span is really short, especially on YouTube. With YouTube ads, you're basically interrupting the viewer by hoping that he'd be interested in watching your ad. That's why is essential to capture his interest with an effective message.
Mistake #3: You don't use display-ads
If you're just getting started, and you don't want to get full on with YouTube advertising, you can try display-ads first. These are the images or banners that you can see on the right side of the video.
The big advantage of these type of ads is that they don't interrupt the viewer, and that they're easier to implement, which is great for beginners.
Mistake #4: Not waiting long enough to see results
If you're not a patient person, then maybe YouTube advertising is not for you. It will take a little bit longer for you to see results with YouTube ads, but you will see them, thanks to the large audience you can reach.
Meanwhile, what you have to do is look at your analytics to see if you get the traction you hoped for. If you don't, then tweak your message, your target market, the design. Whatever you think it may do the trick.
Mistake #5: Make sure you have the proper budget for it.
What else can you do to improve your video marketing?
I hope that this article will make you want to try out something new this year. After all, if billions of people watch YouTube videos, then I'm pretty sure your audience does too. The only thing you need to do is show up.
If you'd like to learn more about video marketing and the appropriate tools that will help you get started, download our latest eBook.