Responsive Ads for Hyper-Responsive Leads

Google Display Network is a network of over 200 million websites, apps, and videos where you can see your Google ads. Image by Nataliya Vaitkevich, Pexels License.

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Responsive Ads

A lot of advertisers have been asking about the latest update to YouTube Ads. Why is Google requiring you to run ads on the Display Network, is there anything you can do about it, and what are Responsive Ads? Read on below to see what the new changes are, why Google made them, what it means for your ad campaigns, and what you can do now to thrive in this new ads environment.

What changed with Google/YouTube Ads?

Prior to September 30, 2021, as YouTube advertisers were looking to be as efficient as possible, we used to create TrueView for Action campaigns that used Standard Video Ads:

TrueView for Action campaigns:
- Video ad with CTA and conversion tracking
Standard Video Ads:
- Video ads are only shown in-stream on YouTube
- Thumbnail and video title didn’t matter
- Pretty standard huh?

On September 30, 2021, Google announced an update to video advertising on YouTube:

“To help you achieve more conversions at an efficient cost, we’re evolving TrueView for action and scaling its best features to more places with Video action campaigns. Video action campaigns allow you to reach more customers in high-performing places on and off YouTube–all within one campaign. Starting early 2022, Google Ads automatically upgrades all TrueView for action campaigns to Video action campaigns and opts all Video action campaigns into all video networks.”

After September 30, 2021, creating a new campaign will now require you to create a Video Action Campaigns that uses Responsive Video Ads

Google Display Network - a new world uncovered in advertising. Image by Windows, Unsplash License. — Google Display Network – a new world uncovered in advertising. Image by Windows, Unsplash License.

What are Video Action Campaigns?

Video ad with CTA and conversion tracking (same as TrueView for Action campaign)
Expanded ad inventory now requires these campaigns to serve ad impressions as:

In-Stream Ads
Video Discovery Ads
Ads on the Google Display Network

What is an In-Stream ad?

Skippable video ads that are served either at the beginning or during a video on YouTube
In-stream ads are only shown on YouTube (when we used to be able to turn off the GDN (Google Display Network))
Tried and true for the best performance regarding sales, leads, and conversions
Thumbnail and video title do not matter as the video auto plays and no details are given

What is a Video Discovery ad?

Ads that show up in the YouTube newsfeed

When the video ad shows up in the discovery feed, the viewer does not see a playing video here, just a thumbnail, headline, description, and call to action (CTA) button
- the viewer has to click on the ad in the discovery placement in order to even see the actual video play

When the viewer clicks on your ad, they can actually watch the video, see the video title, and click on multiple CTA sitelinks

Most important, you need to specify a thumbnail for your Responsive Video Ad, which again will show in the discovery feed.
- Just like for Facebook, native ads, and other platforms, this thumbnail image is crucial to getting your viewer to click so they can actually watch the ad and take action.

What is the Google Display Network?

The Google Display Network is a network of over 200 million websites, apps, and videos where you can see your Google ads. It has millions of websites and applications under which the site receives compensation to enable Google to advertise on it.

Ads are placed on Web pages with other published content using the same search-engine advertising services.

Display Network ads appear on any website inside the Google partner network.

Ads are displayed on specific sites, which are narrowed down based on targeting.

What are Responsive Video Ads?

Now, your ad will not just show in the in-stream placement. It’s also going to show up in the video discovery placement and on the Google Display Network (websites & apps)
- Yes, it’s troubling that we have no control over whether an ad shows up in the in-stream, video discovery, or on the GDN…

So, instead of creating ads for just one placement (like Standard Ads for in-stream), now you’ll create one ad for all possible placements that it could show on
- This allows the ads to show as either a Video Discovery ad, an In-Stream ad, or an ad on the Google Display Network

Why did Google make this change?

Why is Google requiring advertisers to run campaigns on the Google Display Network and in the YouTube Discovery Newsfeed?

Google claims these changes will:
- #1 Drive more conversions
- #2 Increase campaign performance
- #3 Scale your campaigns

We’ve seen the same thing with Facebook and their partner network. They claim it’s so you can reach your target audience in more places and be omnipresent.
- We would argue that they are just looking to sell more ad inventory and make more money. Isn’t that always the goal?
- Advertisers were not utilizing the ad inventory on the YouTube Discovery Newsfeed or the Google Display Network so Google decided to make it mandatory
  - This update requires your ads to be shown on these placements now
  - This increases the number of places your ads will be displayed, thus increasing how much money you will pay as an advertiser

GDN allows you to run ads in different places. Image by Windows, Unsplash License

Can you turn off the GDN?

Can you run an in-stream-only ad anymore?

Technically yes, although we probably wouldn’t recommend it

There currently is one workaround, although we suggest you test and for the most part do not recommend this method

You can create a video ad campaign “without a goal’s assistance”

This will allow you to just create an in-stream ad and turn off the Google Display Network if you want

Unfortunately, the downside to doing this is that Google will then only optimize your campaign by CPV or CPM
- not Target CPA bidding like it will when you select to use a goal’s guidance

What is the recommendation for advertisers?

We recommend you adapt and learn how to use responsive ads in your favor
- When a big change happens like this from Google, we do not expect them to go back on it. That means you should learn how to optimize your responsive ads now and be ahead of your competition

Most important, you need to specify a thumbnail for your Responsive Video Ad, which again will show in the discovery feed.
- Just like for Facebook, native ads, and other platforms, this thumbnail image is crucial to getting your viewer to click so they can actually watch the ad and take action.
- As of right now, swapping your thumbnail image after your ad is approved will NOT re-trigger the approval process.

Make the video title compelling. When clicking on the Ad, it’s shown as a ”regular” video, with its title being visible to viewers. Video ad title should be appealing to the viewer, which wasn’t the case before.
- Do not continue titling videos like a YouTube in-stream ad: “Hook 1 | YT Ad (general audience)”

Try Sitelinks: A way to drive even more engagement is to have relevant extensions (such as Sitelink extensions) that will positively affect overall ad engagement & performance.

Consider excluding showing ads on apps categories in order to avoid losing more money than needed. For instance, we recommend excluding this placement: mobileappcategory::69500

The power to succeed is in your hands. Tubesift makes it possible. Image by Windows, Unsplash License

The Ads that Work

TubeSift helps find a suitable audience for your ad, from finding a monetized video to generating a banner. It has a proven track record of guiding Advertisers in making those Ads generate good results. It includes a library of free YouTube ads training that can assist you in comprehending the platform’s mechanics.

Not only that, but it also provides coaching, comprehensive training, a Facebook group forum, which allows advertisers to ask simple to complicated questions. Its network also gives opportunities for people to learn best practices from each other.

Only Tubesift can do that job. Let us help you with a free 7-day trial by clicking here.