Do you feel like your YouTube ads are just... there? You feel compelled to keep running them, because you know YouTube is important, but you're not sure if they're actually doing anything for your business?
I recently met with Alex and their assistant, Sam, on a Google Ads coaching call (names have been changed for privacy). Alex is a service provider, and Sam has been DIYing the Google Ads for Alex's business. Their video ad view rates were low, and they weren't sure how to effectively integrate their YouTube strategy with their other marketing efforts.
We dove into their Google Ads account together, and I quickly realized they were missing a key ingredient: remarketing.
I showed Alex and Sam how to create remarketing segments of people who had viewed their ads, so they could re-engage those potential customers with more specific messaging and offers. Remember, a "view" on YouTube means the user watched at least 30 seconds of the video, or 'til the end, whichever comes first. Unlike on platforms like TikTok or Meta, a YouTube "viewer" is a highly engaged user.
Then, we revisited the targeting strategy within the video campaign. They were currently using keyword targeting, and the low view rates suggested this wasn't effectively reaching the right audience. I advised shifting to an audience-based targeting strategy, so they could reach the kinds of people who were likely to be interested in Alex's services. We explored Google's In-market segments (people actively shopping for products or services like theirs) and Life Event segments (people experiencing big life changes, which might make them more receptive to the offer), and made adjustments accordingly.
By making these changes, Alex and Sam were able to reduce wasted ad spend, increase their view rates, and better align their YouTube ads with their overall marketing goals.
Here's what you can do to leverage the power of YouTube ads, like Alex and Sam:
- Build YouTube remarketing lists: You are wasting your video ad dollars if you're not capturing those engaged users and showing ads to them again via your other campaigns
- Leverage audience targeting: I know, I know, when you think "Google Ads" you think "keywords." But the more scalable solution is audience targeting, which is why I'm writing a whole book about it!
- Focus on your creative: No matter how perfectly you set up your video campaigns, you won't see good results if your video ad sucks. The YouTube ABCDs are a great place to start, if you need to learn how to create compelling YouTube ads.
Ready to transform your YouTube Ads strategy? Book a coaching call with me, and learn how to optimize your campaigns for maximum impact.
