How To Run YouTube Ads

Running YouTube ads can be an effective way to reach a larger audience and promote your business or brand. With over 2 billion logged-in users visiting YouTube every month, the platform offers a huge potential audience for your ads. In this article, we will go over the steps you need to take to set up and run a successful YouTube ad campaign.

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Step 1: Set up a Google Ads account

The first thing you will need to do is set up a Google Ads account. Google Ads is the platform that powers advertising on Google, including YouTube. If you already have a Google account, you can use it to sign up for Google Ads. If not, you will need to create one.

To set up a Google Ads account, go to the Google Ads website and click the "Start Now" button. You will be asked to provide some basic information about your business, such as your business name, website, and industry. You will also need to agree to the terms and conditions and set up a payment method. Once you have completed these steps, your Google Ads account will be set up and ready to use.

Step 2: Set up a YouTube channel

In order to run ads on YouTube, you will need to have a YouTube channel. If you already have a channel, you can skip this step. If not, you will need to create one.

To create a YouTube channel, you will need to sign in to your Google account and go to the YouTube website. Click on the camera icon in the top right corner of the screen and select "Go to Creator Studio." From there, click on the "Channel" tab and then click the "Create a new channel" button. Follow the prompts to set up your channel, including choosing a name and adding a profile picture and cover photo.

Step 3: Choose your ad format

There are several different ad formats available on YouTube, including in-stream ads, discovery ads, and bumper ads. In-stream ads play before, during, or after a video and are typically skippable after the first 5 seconds. Discovery ads appear on the YouTube search results page or on related videos and can be either video or display ads. Bumper ads are short, non-skippable video ads that play before a video.

Which ad format you choose will depend on your goals and budget. In-stream ads can be effective for driving brand awareness, while discovery ads can be a good choice for driving traffic to your website. Bumper ads can be a good option for reaching a larger audience quickly, but they are generally more expensive than other ad formats.

Step 4: Create your ad

Once you have chosen your ad format, it's time to create your ad. To create an ad on Google Ads, click on the "Campaigns" tab and then click the "+" button to create a new campaign. From there, you will need to choose your campaign type, budget, and ad targeting.

To create an ad, you will need to provide some basic information about your business, such as your business name, website, and industry. You will also need to choose a call-to-action, such as "Learn More" or "Sign Up," and write a headline and description for your ad. You will also need to upload your ad creative, which can be a video or a display ad.

Step 5: Set your budget and targeting

Once you have created your ad, you will need to set your budget and targeting. Your budget is the amount you are willing to spend on your ad campaign. You can set a daily or lifetime budget, depending on your preferences. It's important to set a budget that you are comfortable with and that aligns with your advertising goals.

In addition to setting a budget, you will also need to set your targeting. Targeting allows you to specify who you want to see your ad. You can target your ad based on factors such as location, age, gender, and interests. You can also use keyword targeting to show your ad to people who are searching for specific terms on YouTube.

Step 6: Launch your ad campaign

Once you have set your budget and targeting, it's time to launch your ad campaign. To launch your ad campaign, click the "Save and Continue" button and then click the "Launch" button. Your ad will go live and will start running on YouTube.

Step 7: Monitor and optimize your ad campaign

Once your ad campaign is live, it's important to monitor it and make any necessary adjustments. You can use the Google Ads dashboard to track the performance of your ad campaign and see how many people are seeing and interacting with your ad.

You can also use the Google Ads dashboard to optimize your ad campaign. For example, you can adjust your targeting to reach a more relevant audience, or you can test different ad creative to see which performs best. By regularly monitoring and optimizing your ad campaign, you can improve its performance and get the best return on your advertising investment.

Running YouTube ads can be a great way to reach a larger audience and promote your business or brand. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can set up and run a successful YouTube ad campaign. With the right ad format, ad creative, budget, and targeting, you can effectively reach your desired audience and achieve your advertising goals on YouTube.

If you’re interested in learning more about influencer marketing and how Smartfluence can help you establish and scale your influencer marketing campaigns, feel free to book a demo here.

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