Videos have taken over as one of the most popular and effective modes of communication in business marketing. Those times are gone when people would read long posts devoid of any media. Now, images and videos are the go-to mediums of advertising.
When we think of videos, the first platform that comes to our mind is YouTube. It is the most popular video-sharing website globally and also one of the most popular search engines on the internet.
Often, people search for queries, recipes, tutorials, and solutions on YouTube instead of regular search engines. This is because they want to see videos for better understanding. Hence, YouTube has become a significant marketing platform for businesses.
Moreover, YouTube lets you reach target audiences easily through PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns, with its ad formats and targeted campaign options. You just have to know which ad targeting option to use for your business.
Any PPC agency would advise you to utilize the power of YouTube as several business owners and marketers have reported higher ROI, better traffic, and more engagement by using this platform.
If you seek to advertise on YouTube, you must be aware of its targeting options and how you must utilize your money to get optimal results. But first, you need to know more about YouTube Ads.
YouTube Ads
Ads on YouTube serve the same purpose as anywhere else but work differently than a PPC or social media campaign. To run a successful paid venture, you need to have basic knowledge of the platform and your audience.
To count as a view on YouTube, the user has to watch the video for at least 30 seconds, if not the entire duration. Only then will you pay for the view. To make YouTube targeting work, you have to learn the targeting methods, ad formats, and audience behavior.
The best idea is to create a Google Ads account to gain insight into ad formats. You should also promote content which your target audience will find interesting, based on the browsing and buying behavior.
The trends among YouTube users have changed over the years. Now, more than half of the viewers log in from their mobile phones. Google has also evolved its AdWords algorithm to go with the flow, making targeting search possible.
Now, you can target ads at people based on their search history, views, and site visits. The idea is that the user is more likely to watch your video if it matches their requirements or interests.
This way, you can try your luck at several targeting options that make sense for a video marketing campaign in 2021. Here, we will acquaint you with some of these options.
Best YouTube Targeting Options in 2021
Keywords
You may think keywords are the most obvious solution for any SEO-related problem. However, they are common only because they work wonders. For YouTube’s TrueView discovery ads, they are the best targeting option.
YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google; hence advertisers running ad campaigns here can get great returns. For discovery campaigns, you can target the search results page and insert keyword targeting.
This kind of targeting works wonders if you have varied content that can become search results based on your viewers’ queries. However, do not forget to produce creative and interesting videos for these campaigns. After all, your viewers are primarily looking for quality video content on YouTube.
Another aspect of keyword targeting is that it is cheaper on YouTube than on Google. So, if you base your PPC campaigns here, you are bound to see more ROI.
Search Targeting
Ad campaigns always work better when they’re targeting a specific niche of viewers. To capture that audience, search targeting is an effective solution. In this type of targeting, you intend to reach users based on their search history and preferences.
Search-based targeting lets you insert your ads with videos that are expected to catch the attention of your target audience based on their YouTube search history.
For example, if you are an interior designer, you can target people who have searched for home decor, furniture, or living room models in the recent past. This works for both YouTube and Google.
When the relevant content reaches users, they are more likely to click on the ad and visit your website. This increases traffic and also leads to more conversions.
Custom Intent Audiences
This form of targeting involves aiming to engage in-market audiences using keywords, URLs, and research. You can create a list of such users, depending on your product, audience base, and targeted niche.
These audiences do not need to have a history of engagement or purchases with your brand. You can simply locate them through their searches and use them in display campaigns.
Building a custom intent audience requires a few steps. They may include converting search terms to locate interested users, doing keyword research for matching or related content, and tracking your competitors for better videos and ads.
In case you run an online business, you can also compile your most popular and best-selling products to create an ad that seeks to attract buyers.
Key Demographics
Targeting via demographics is an effective way as it helps you reach users belonging to a specific niche. You can target people based on gender, age, relationship status, location, income, and so on.
Once you select a suitable option, you can choose the placement of your ads as well as decide who gets to view them. Using this strategy with in-stream or non-skipped ads helps you to set up a campaign that is bound to fetch positive results.
For example, if you own a cafe in New York, you need to filter your audience via location to ensure the locals get word of your business. Doing this can help you increase your customer base and revenue. Your niche audience can also be figured out by researching existing customers and their demographics.
In-stream, In-display, Pre-roll, and Bumper Ads
There are different ad options on YouTube TrueView, with differing placement and duration. You can choose to target one of these positions that suits your business the best.
In-stream ads are those that appear before your selected video plays. You have to pay per view, and the user has the option to skip the ad after five seconds.
In-display ads, on the other hand, appear on the side of your screen, instead of with a video. They can help increase conversion rates but can also be ignored by the viewer more easily.
Pre-roll video ads, as the name suggests, appear before a video starts and are about 30 seconds in duration. They are also charged per click, and not by the number of views. Hence, they are a reasonable option for a PPC campaign.
Bumper ads come in the form of six-seconds of video footage which cannot be skipped. They appear before a regular video and can make a massive impact on viewers even in such a short time. They are best suited to build brand recognition and awareness.
Event-based Targeting
This type of YouTube targeting aims to build personal connections with your viewers. Through this, you appeal to the sentiments of people and hope that they are moved to click or take action immediately.
YouTube has a Life Events array in which you can target users who are experiencing important milestones in life, like graduation, wedding, anniversaries, birthdays, etc. Although its target audience is smaller than the other options, event-based targeting works wonders if you hit the right spot.
You can search for people recently establishing a business, looking for new skills, job changes, new houses, etc., and reaching milestones like retirement and so on. If your product is related to any of these events, you can use this feature to raise your chances of conversion.
Conclusion
No matter how effectively you target your audience, what they’ll focus on is your content. So, make sure your ad is creative, touching, and has a clear message. To ensure the ad is placed optimally, you can consult experts who can help you improve your YouTube game.