The New Era Of Video Sharing

In 2005 when Jawed Karim, Steve Chen, and Chad Hurley all worked at PayPal, they realized that there was yet to be a designated location where videos could be shared. This was the fundamental idea that shaped the YouTube we know and love today. Inspired by the infamous Janet Jackson incident and the tsunami in December of that year, the YouTube.com domain was purchased and the first video was uploaded. Before YouTube, users resorted to sharing video content directly through methods such as chain emails. Finding a website to host a video for free was a task in itself. The evolution of YouTube has changed the game.

By the summer of 2006, YouTube had already become one of the fastest growing sites on the web. Google, being the powerhouse that it is, didn’t hesitate when they heard of this revolutionary idea. They  made their second largest acquisition by purchasing YouTube for $1.65 billion in stock. At this time the site was still relatively small, and had not reached the UK or many other countries. However by 2007, it was estimated that YouTube had already seen as much bandwidth as the entire internet had in the year 2000. The full launch of HD videos rolled out next, which led to YouTube experiencing it’s first one billion video views in a single day. This was to be the first of many...

Only one year after YouTube launched, Time Magazine featured a YouTube screen with a large mirror as its annual  ‘Person Of The Year’.

“For seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, Time's Person of the Year for 2006 is you,” the magazine's Lev Grossman wrote.

FLASH FORWARD TO TODAY...

YouTube has taken over! There are approximately 5 billion videos watched on YouTube every day, with over 300 hours of video content uploaded every minute. Not to mention, there are more 18-49 year olds watching YouTube than any cable network in the U.S. It has even been predicted that by 2025, more than half of viewers under the age of 32 will not be paying for any tv services at all. This renders commercials less and less desirable, but how does this play to the advantage of the business owner? The Google Ads platform (formerly known as Google AdWords) allows you to advertise across YouTube. This feature gives your business the opportunity to get in front of the right audience in a way like never before.

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS.

We already know that YouTube has been one of the largest video destinations in the world for some time now. Users are watching billions of hours of content to be entertained, learn new things, and stay up to date on current trends. However, now more than ever, people are increasingly turning to YouTube to inspire and inform purchase decisions both big and small. For marketers and small business owners, this creates an opportunity to get in front of a target audience. To start attracting new customers, they need to know who you are. You are able to Introduce your business and share your story with video ads on YouTube. While a potential customer is looking for a product comparison or a how-to-video, you are able to be present in these intent rich moments. By having a presence in these purchase driven moments, you are able to gain new customers, maximize sales, and increase awareness of your brand.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

With YouTube advertising, you can decide who sees your ads with targeting based on location, age, interest, and more. Setting up a video campaign targeted toward users who show that they are interested in your business can increase conversions. Location targeting is set up on your video campaign to ensure your advertising is serving to users that are in the right area. You are able to break this down by country, state, city, or even zip codes. You can also exclude any areas that you know you do not want to appear for. With demographic targeting, you can choose the age, gender, parental status, or household income of the audience you want to reach. Interest targeting is one of my favorite targeting features available across YouTube. The targeting method allows you to pick from available audience categories to reach people interested in certain topics, even when they may be visiting pages about other topics. Here is an example of how they break down this targeting option:

Lastly, there is video remarketing. This is the same as regular remarketing across the Google Search Network. You are able to reach viewers based on their past interactions with your videos, TrueView ads or YouTube channel. Another great way to remain present to potential customers.

ACHIEVING YOUR MARKETING GOALS

From quick six second ads, to minute long videos, there are options to get your message in front of the right audience. YouTube’s growing popularity in today’s world, has made it clear that it can serve as much more than just a way to share adorable puppy videos. In fact, it has become a immensely effective platform for accessing a wide range of audiences through online advertising. Depending on your end goal, you are able to use video ads to drive users to your website where they can contact you, or purchase items online, or be directed to your YouTube channel to increase views and subscribers.

FORMATS:

With the proper campaign setup, marketing research, and video format, YouTube is able to get your business seen.

The highlight of using video ads on YouTube, is that you only pay when a potential customer actually sees your ad. If your ad is watched for at least 30 seconds or someone interacts with it in someway, such as clicking on an overlay call to action, a card, or a companion banner, that is when you are charged. You don’t need to be a professional videographer to get an ad for your business started. YouTube has published a helpful guide to get businesses started and help them to feel confident while  creating a video showcasing their company. You can check out these recommendations here: How to Make A Video Ad That Fits Your Marketing Strategy

SO WHAT’S NEW?

Last week Google announced some changes that will be rolling out to the YouTube platform. These upgrades are designed to increase effectiveness for advertisers. While YouTube was already extremely affordable and powerful, there are now three new ad options to achieve your goals.

• TrueView For Reach

With this format, you are seeing YouTube’s primary TrueView format that has been brought together with the simplicity of impression based buying. This format is ideal for a business looking to raise brand awareness or increase  traffic all within YouTube.

• TrueView For Action

This format is optimized to drive conversions on your site. Your ad shows up during the video and is shown with a clear call-to-action that stays even after your ad is complete. This branded banner can also be targeted for a specific goal such as “book now”, “call us today”, or learn more. It was also announced that later this year, there will be additional formats for TrueView for Action to increase lead generation directly from  your videos.

• Maximize Lift Bidding

Many advertisers turn to YouTube not only to drive conversions but also to increase brand consideration. This bidding strategy has been designed for this purpose. By using Google’s Machine Learning, you are able to reach people who are more likely to consider your brand after seeing your ad.

These new enhancements help you to get the most out of your YouTube advertising. At Digital Radar, we are experts at our craft. Creating quality marketing to elevate businesses to the next level is what we pride ourselves on. To learn more about video marketing and what it can do for your business, reach out to one of our experts today.

IF YOU THOUGHT THIS BLOG POST WAS VALUABLE TO YOU, PLEASE GIVE US A LIKE AND SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND.