If you’re considering venturing into YouTube ads to grow your business, it’s a wise move. There are a whole lot of potential customers on the platform as it’s the most extensive video network in the world with 1.5 billion people using it every month and 400 hours of new content uploaded every minute.
Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as uploading an ad and waiting for the views and money to roll in. If there isn’t a solid strategy in place for how you plan to use your ads to drive traffic, it’ll be difficult to achieve that goal. Every step you take — right up to publishing your ads to the world — makes a difference in how your ads perform in front of viewers.
Want to know how to use YouTube ads to boost your traffic? Here’s how to get started.
Target your audience
Without a clear idea of who you’re targeting, it’ll be challenging to drive traffic through your ad campaign because all the wrong people will see your content. That’s a waste of time and money that could be spent elsewhere growing your business.
The easiest way to map out your target audience is by creating buyer personas, which are detailed profiles of your audience including their demographics, interests, buying behaviors, and more. Make sure you have the who, what, when, where, and why covered.
There are many ways to gather the information you need about your audience. If you have existing customers, email them a survey or questionnaire to find out more about them. Research other businesses in your industry and take a good look at their target market. Scour social media and find burning questions people in your industry are asking. You could be the one to give them the solutions they need.
Choose the right ad format
Depending on how your audience consumes content, there may be different ways ads influence their decision to click through. The best way is by utilizing A/B split testing and determining which ad types perform best with your viewers. This will allow you to optimize your conversion strategy as well as present ads to your audience effectively.
There are three main types of ad formats to choose from.
TrueView In-stream
A TrueView ad is one that viewers can choose to skip if they want to and can increase your views by 500 percent according to Google. You only pay for the ad if viewers watch for at least 30 seconds or the ad is clicked on.
An in-stream ad is shown to viewers the second they click on your ad. After a mandatory five-second waiting period, they can choose to continue watching or skip the ad and move ahead to their intended video.
TrueView Discovery
This type of ad pops up on the homepage, under related or recommended videos, or in YouTube search. Viewers who watch at least 30 seconds of TrueView ads are 23 times likelier to visit or subscribe to a brand channel and engage with its content. You pay for it when viewers click on your ad and watch your video.
This is an excellent method to boost traffic because it presents your video in front of new viewers who may be attracted to your content or when they’re searching for similar videos.
Bumper
Bumper ads are only six seconds or shorter and unskippable. It can play before, during, or after a video. Because they’re so short, these ads are great for mobile users who consume lots of content at a quick rate. You pay when your ad is shown 1000 times.
Create engaging ads
Your ad content has to be captivating enough to convince viewers to click through to the offer. If the ads you’re creating match your target market’s interests and compel them with engaging content, it’ll persuade them to check out your advertisement.
Here are some of the best ways to create ads that provoke action or clicks:
- A/B test different components of your ads to see what works best.
- Captivate your audience from the very first second by capturing their attention as soon as your ad plays.
- Use YouTube’s interactive elements to drive user engagement, including and especially CTAs.
- Use only the best content to show viewers. If you’re going to invest in ads, they have to be worth your while.
Conclusion
When executed properly, YouTube ads can be a great way to drive traffic to your website and earn money. They’re proven to increase engagement and they put your content in front of new people who could potentially turn into loyal customers. If you aren’t taking advantage of advertising on YouTube, you’re missing out on a golden opportunity to grow your business.