Youtube. Everyone watches. Everyone enjoys. Video has been one of the most increasing social media formats over the last years and will continue to grow. Video is powerful, it is dynamic, and now with the rise of newer technologies, you can watch it anywhere. There are 1.9 billion logged-in users that visit YouTube every month.

And of course, brands know this. They know we’re watching. This is why YouTube ads are one of the most successful ways you can get in front of your audience at just the right time.

Throughout this article, we’re going to teach how to successfully advertise on YouTube, and if you’re not already doing so, to inspire you to take advantage of this platform.

Perks of Advertising on Youtube 101

When you’re sitting back and watching Youtube, you may have already noticed that on the right panel, there are various animated display ad HTML5 banners being delivered to you. Most of the time, depending on what you’re watching, you will see a banner served correspondingly. 

Because of this, there is no question that Youtube should be one of the necessary parts of every business’s marketing and advertising strategies. Just imagine: One-third of everyone on the internet watch billions of hours of video on YouTube every day. 

Nevertheless, you aren’t the only one trying to grab users’ attention. It’s no news that people are being bombarded with media, news, and ads all over the place, back to back. While researching, landing on pages, on social media, and almost every other channel. 

But, how will you ever get successfully in front of your audience?

One way is using the power of YouTube to your benefit through display advertising.

One of the perks of advertising on Youtube is being able to display tailored ads to your audience based on mood prediction from the video being watched. Just from that, you are able to deliver the right ad at the right time and place. 

For instance, let’s take someone watching Italian recipe videos. If you own a restaurant or a pasta store, wouldn’t this be a perfect way for them to “meet your kitchen” or “receive free recipes daily”? A jazzy display ad like this would most probably convert this person into a customer. 

The same goes for anyone watching anything from any possible industry in the world.

One of the great things about advertising on Youtube is brands being able to personalize messages based on the content your audience is already interested in and consuming.

And if as you’re checking results, you think you can improve your ads. You will be able to run various A/B tests for campaigns until you find the one that converts best. 

These are just some of the perks of Youtube Display Advertising. Let’s delve deeper into the subject, shall we?

What is YouTube Display Advertising

Like mentioned earlier, YouTube advertising allows business owners and brands to advertise products and services through animated (or not) display banner ads located next to the platform’s video player. 

Now, to better understand how essential YouTube advertising really is, let’s take a closer look at how the Youtube advertising machine works:

Why Should You Be Advertising on Youtube

“Well, why not?” Might be your answer right off the bat. However, if you still haven’t considered the great success that can come from YouTube advertising, let us explain. 

First and firstmost, YouTube is a network based on the web’s media star of all time: video.

Right now, in 2019, the traffic estimated for video was for 80%, just for online video. This tells you that YouTube is a network in which users watch hundreds and hundreds of hours of content being uploaded every minute, gaining billions of views per day. 

YouTube is the leading social network leading the video revolution. Then, of course, you have Instagram and Facebook which have followed the trend and have been doing efforts to improve their video platforms over the years. 

Why YouTube is so Successful

YouTube relies on content that has been proven to be consumed more than any other – user-generated content. This refers to video content created by users of the platform. Hey, if you don’t have a favorite Youtuber than you better go ahead and get yourself one! 

Just imagine, companies like GoPro, or any other industry that sells user experiences, can remarkably leverage content like this as their marketing strategy. They don’t need stellar budgets for production, they can just position themselves as the curators and creators of videos and not have to create compelling videos from scratch. 

On the other hand, Youtube is a platform for everyone. It truly is. Youtube suits any users’ consumption preferences. And this not only refers to content, but it also refers to format. Yes, 70% of video is now viewed on mobile. And guess what? Mobile drives the best share scores on the web. 

Where do you come in? Youtube is the best platform to advertise in because it gives the people what they want, where they want it, and how they want it. Advertisers can use YouTube to promote their own videos on the platform, but also display ads through thousands of publishers. 

You don’t have to be on Youtube to promote on Youtube, because this platform allows any company to advertise on Youtube’s many channels. 

Ready to start making some incredible YouTube display ads of your own?

Youtube Ad Specs to Keep in Mind Before You Start

Site Served Ad Specs:
You can generate amazing site-served ads on Onlymega and download them in HTML5 format.

• Dimensions: 300×250, 300×60 (YouTube Reserve companions), 300×600 (Zagat only)
• Formats: GIF, JPG, PNG, HTML5 allowed for Google Ads standard display formats
• Max File Size: 150KB
• Max Animation Time: 30 seconds
• Audio: No sound
• Border: Creatives with partially black or white backgrounds must have a visible border of a contrasting color.

Authorized Third-Party Served Ad Specs:
Served by Bannernow.

• Dimensions: 300×250, 300×60 (YouTube Reserve companions), 300×600 (Zagat only)
• HTML5: All HTML5 ads must support basic HTML5. Flash not permitted in HTML5.
• Initial Load Size: 150 KB maximum is recommended.
• Total non-user initiated load size: 2.2 MB maximum, *initial plus subsequent/polite loads
• Includes: All progressive video, images, HTML. (true streaming not included)
• CPU Usage: Must not exceed 40% of a user’s CPU.
• Border and iFrame: Must stay within the iframe. Creatives with partially black or white backgrounds must have a visible border of a contrasting color.
• Mouseover Policy: Only user-initiated mouse effects (by rollover or click) allowed and are always in control of the user. Effects can turn the mouse into different icons/shapes and/or animate portions of the ad. Sound effects are not allowed on mouseover/rollover.
• HTML5: FLV video is not permitted. If video is used, both MP4, and either WebM or Ogg formats must be used to ensure compatibility across all major browsers.
• Autoplay animation/video: 30 seconds (all animation, including loops, must stop at 30 seconds)
• On load audio: No sound, only on click
• User-initiated video: On click only
• Must include: Progress bar, play/pause/stop buttons, and mute/unmute button
• Actions on user click: All sound must stop upon exit click.

How to Create Amazing YouTube Display Ads

Want to drive some compelling engagement and clicks on your advertisements? Well, we’ve been saying it but we’ll say it again: YouTube display ads are perfect for driving clicks to your landing pages, promotions, sales, and discounts of any sort. 

But wait a minute. What does it take to create a compelling, noticeable, and engaging ads on the massive platform that is YouTube? What are the requirements? No worries, we’ve compiled some of Google’s best advertising practices as well as some of our own to help you out.

1. Focus on Your Target

It’s essential for you to focus on who your target is. YouTube allows you to pinpoint targeting and ensure your audience is reached before you go live. Remember, your ad is as successful as your focused targeting is. When getting ready to advertise on the platform, there are several ways you can target:

• Overall Demographics
• Specific Interests – What do people on the platform like? Cars, food, sports?
• Affinity Audiences – Of people that already have an interest in a  topic related to your service or product
• Custom Affinity Audiences – This allows for more specific targeting. For instance, instead of reaching out to a sports fan, a basketball company may want to just reach any kids recreational basketball.
• Life Events – This is interesting because you can focus on certain life events like graduation, marriage, or having a child.
• In-Market Audience – Refers to people already researching products or services related to that of your company’s
• Remarketing Audience – This will be based on people interaction with videos, TrueView ads or overall YouTube channel

2. Make your Ad Worthy to Look At

With the Onlymega banner maker, you can make some truly compelling ads and don’t even have to start from scratch. It’ll be important that your banner ads are attention-catchers since they are located where they compete with thumbnails as well as videos being played. You can research a bit about visual hierarchy, and find that most users are drawn to contrasting colors, sizes and movements – so consider the following tips:

• Get animated. Make your banner ads into animated display HTML5 ads and GIFs.
• Try using bold colors contrasting with YouTube’s white background. 
• Choose image sizes that are bigger.
• Follow our tips at the end of the article to design fascinating display ads.

3. Call-to-Action that Stands Out

If you’ve been advertising for a while now, you know that the chances your ads are seen and clicked on are pretty slim – they always are. Be that as it may, you can increase your chances by clearly showing your audience where to click by adding a moving call-to-action button. 

Think outside the box. Go beyond “register” “sign up”, get creative. What’s the benefit of them clicking on your ad? Emphasize the advantages. Will you be giving them free marketing tips? What’s in it for them? Affirm your brand’s values.

4. What’s The Benefit?

Just like your call-to-action should reflect the benefit of their click, so should your copywriting. 

Your banner’s headline is the value you are promising your audience when they click on your banner. What’s setting you aside from your competitors? What is your unique selling proposition? This is going to be important and will greatly contribute to your ad’s clickability.

6 Stunning YouTube Ad Examples & Tips To Get You Rolling

1. Choose a Great Font

Choose a font that is not only reflective of your brand’s personality but that also delivers your message clearly. If you’re using a lighter colored background, make sure your font is contrasting and stands out. Everything you write should be legible. Your call-to-action button is also important and should be in a legible font. The font is, therefore, decisive. Mix nice fonts and good copy to create a powerful yet comprehensive message.

2. Keep it Simple

Sometimes, a simple design can be highly effective. If you’re interested in a straightforward message like in this example for Harry’s razors, go for it! Make sure you combine colors and fonts wisely and deliver your message. You can use a monochromatic background, which means no gradients, all caps font and add a logo. Oh, and don’t forget an attention-grabbing call-to-action.

3. Use Illustrations & Different Textures

Illustrations are marvelous resources for display banner ads. Remember, make sure your illustrations are brand-related and convey your brand’s uniqueness. If your brand is not based on this type of artwork or is not what your audience expects of you, it might not be wise to use it, if they do, go for it! Nevertheless, illustration and the use of different textures are becoming more and more popular amongst brands of any industry. 

Converse is a great example of this because the brand narrative allows for witty illustration and images to be used. This eye-catching display banner is an effective attention grabber and inspires them to engage.

4. Wise Color Combinations

Colors are a very important part of your branding. Choose colors wisely to avoid annoying your brand or what’s worse, not grabbing their attention at all. You will need to appeal to them with colors in images, background and font colors that mirror your brand.

5. Your Product in Action

Once you know what colors, fonts, and background images you will be using. Think about what you are going to ultimately communicate to your audience. Are you promoting your brand as a whole or just a product? Ask yourself if there is a way you can showcase your product’s unique selling proposition by showing it in action like in this Adidas ad.

6. Wow Your Audience

Adobe’s ads are a great example of wowing your audience with display ads. Especially if they’re being displayed on YouTube, which is a platform that is visually competitive. Unlike the previous example in which Sprout clearly shows their product in action, in this example, Adobe showcases a sort of “testimonial” of what the software is capable of doing. 

By doing this, you are showing your customers how amazing your product actually is. This, paired with some visually compelling design is not only effective, but also very remarkable.

7. Compelling Background Images

Squarespace’s display banner ad has one of the simplest and smartest designs. 

It’s effective and uses something more than just a monochromatic background. They are using a high-quality image that manifests what the brand is all about.

Once you decide on using an image as a background, you will need to make decisions regarding the fonts and colors that will form your copy. In this case, Squarespace kept it simple, contrasting the purple background with white font. It is essential that your banner is legible to your wide and diverse audience.  

Note that crowded backgrounds will negatively impact the success of your banner since it will take all the focus away from your copy and logo and end up confusing your audience. Try to use simple, but compelling images.

Final Thoughts

YouTube is one of the fastest ever-growing platforms, constantly changing the dynamics of the display advertising world. Follow our recipes for success on YouTube and start gaining new clients, growing your audience, and catapulting your engagement and clicks. What are you waiting for? YouTube is waiting.

Have any questions? Get in touch with us. We are more than happy to help you.