COVID-19 may have thrown a wrench in your advertising over the last few months, however, stay at home orders are beginning to lift. This means that businesses will be ramping back up and hungrier than ever to re-coup some of that lost time. Have you ever considered YouTube advertising but steered away because of cost or lack of content? Here are five reasons why NOW is the time to get those YouTube campaigns up and running.
#1 People Are Consuming More Content Now Than Ever
We are looking for information on COVID-19, ways to help our healthcare workers, how to sew a facemask, in-home fitness videos, how to make whipped coffee… the list goes on. Although you may not be selling that instant coffee used for whipping (it’s delicious and I recommend you try it), keep in mind that the person learning how to make it may also be interested in what you offer. So, with YouTube advertising today, we should be less focused on contextual targeting (the type of content your ads show alongside) and more so thinking about an audience-based targeting strategy (who is watching those videos).
#2 Costs May Be Lower
Although it’s not recommended, we know a lot of businesses have either reduced or completely paused their advertising efforts. And according to a March 2020 emarketer.com survey of people who said the coronavirus impacted their advertising efforts, 43% of digital video media has decreased. Competition is what drives up cost, so now is the time to get those YouTube ads running at a lower cost.
#3 You Can Tell a Better Story Through Video
Do you have a new product offering? Is it not one your business is typically known for? We are seeing Panera Bread deliver groceries, ExxonMobil making hand sanitizer, etc. Traditional display ads will not be as effective in showcasing the who, what, when where and why. Video provides a wonderful outlet to showcase how your business has changed.
#4 YouTube Can Drive Conversions
Although YouTube is most often used for branding and awareness, there are strategies you can take advantage of that are geared towards conversion. My personal favorite is using custom intent audiences for YouTube. Targeting is based on users who have performed particular searches on Google.com within the past 7 days. So, there is that intent we love with paid search combined with recency. These audiences almost always outperform expectations.
#5 Ease of Video Creation
Long gone are the days of needing a professionally produced video to run advertising on YouTube. Google has made it easier than ever to create a well optimized video for advertising on YouTube with Video Builder. This is a free tool (currently in beta) that animates your images, text and logo with music to create short YouTube videos.
If you would like to test a YouTube campaign, contact your Client Strategist. For additional information on video opportunities, please contact the experts at MoreVisibility.