YouTube is now the second largest search engine online, with well over 5 billion videos being watched every day globally. With such a large number of users on the platform, YouTube advertisement is now a highly effective way to reach a wide range of audiences and influence their decision-making process.
Today, businesses are investing in YouTube ads, and rightly so! Online users are four times more likely to use YouTube to find information about a brand, product, or service and twice as likely to purchase after seeing the ads on YouTube.
YouTube ads allow businesses to reach and get users' attention, to an extent any other platforms cannot. Ads are shown to more engaged viewers as they watch videos, meaning you have their full attention. Combine this with highly relevant targeting, you have the attention of highly qualified audiences.
With YouTube ads, businesses can gain brand exposure, influence potential customers, and convince users to purchase. This article gives a complete guide to YouTube ad formats available and ad specifications.
Growth of online video consumption
In 2022, an average person is predicted to spend over two hours watching videos online, and according to HubSpot, this has more than doubled since 2018. With the pandemic and growth of remote working, the consumption of videos has grown even more.
In addition, videos appeal more to mobile users as most consumers now watch videos using their smartphones. The growth of mobile usage has been immense, with smartphone users estimated to breach over seven billion by 2024. People are watching videos online more than ever before, which presents great opportunities for businesses to reach a wide range of potential customers and prospects and influence their decisions.
YouTube advertising is now a crucial marketing tool for businesses and marketers alike, and if you have not already, it’s time you start investing in it.
YouTube Ads Formats
YouTube Ads offers several types of ad formats depending on your marketing and business goals. The basic formats are outlined below.
Skippable in-stream Ads
Skippable in-stream ads play before, during, or after other videos on YouTube and can be skipped after 5 seconds. This type of ad is used to reach new users, and influence considerations and driver conversions across all devices.
For best results, make sure your destination page/ landing page is relevant to your ad, and be clear about the offerings. Have a clear and impactful call to action and follow your brand when selecting colours and fonts to use. Videos must be short but impactful, and the main message but be delivered within a few seconds of video playing.
Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads
Similar to the skippable ads, non-skippable ads also appear before, during, and after other videos. However, they can be up to 15-20 seconds long, and users do not get the option to skip them. This type ads allow you to reach viewers with your entire message across all devices.
To avoid losing viewers' interest, ensure that the video captivates your audience quickly. Use upbeat music, ask a compelling question, or include the main offering that offers a solution. The key is to be memorable and target your audience’s pain points, and you will want to do this within the first seven seconds of the video playing.
Bumper Ads
Bumper ads are short, non-skippable video ads that are up to six seconds. These ads play before a video can be viewed, and users cannot skip them. Its short length and non-skippable aspects make it perfect for introducing brands to new users, but it also means your videos must be highly impactful and memorable.
Overlay Ads
Overlay image and text ads are banner-type ads that appear on the lower 20% portion of a video. Unlike the other formats, these ads can only be shown on computers. If users click on ads, they will reach your destination URL, such as a landing page promoting a specific offering. Users also have the option to close the ad.
All ads, including overlay ads, have the option to include a companion image which are display-type ads that complement the videos and are great to increase the visibility of your ads and get more clicks.
For best results, make sure your ad has a strong and impactful call-to-action that stands out and a good landing page optimised for conversions.
YouTube Formats and Specs
Each YouTube ad formats have different specifications you need to follow for the best-optimised results, here are some of the top formats though!
Technical Specs for YouTube Ads
*Basic requirements- All ads must be uploaded to YouTube and follow Google's advertising policies.
Video Ad Spec
Video codec: H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4
Audio codec: AAC, MP3
Resolution: 16 x 9 for 4:3 aspect ration
Frame rate: 24-30FPS
File size: Max 1GB
Companion image (optional with video ad)
Image: 300 x 60px
File type: Static GIF, PNG, JPG
Max: 1KB
Overlay Ad spec
Image: 480 x 60 or 728 x 90
File type: Static GIF, PNG, JPG
File size: Max 150KB
Sponsored Cards (goes with video ads)
Image: Static GIF, PNG, JPG
Aspect ratio: 1:1
File size: Max 1KB
Ready to try YouTube Advertising?
Ready to try YouTube advertising or learn how YouTube ads can help you reach your marketing and business goals? Why not talk to the YouTube and video marketing experts at ExtraDigital today?
ExtraDigital specialises in delivering a YouTube strategy that is right for your business. No matter what your goal is, whether it is raising awareness about your brand, products, and services, attracting potential prospects, or increasing your sales, we can help! Submit the form below, and a Google Ads partner will be in touch with you soon!
