Pay-per-click marketing, or PPC, is a highly effective online marketing strategy used by advertisers who pay a fee every time one of their ads is clicked. This model is a means of purchasing visits to your website as opposed to waiting for consumers to find you organically.
Pay-Per-Click and Search Engines
The most popular form of PPC is search engine ads. This option provides marketers the opportunity to bid on how their ads get placed within the sponsored links. For example, when a user executes a Google keyword search relevant to what the advertiser is offering, the desire is for their ads to show up first in the results page.
Advertising on YouTube
When it comes to marketing on YouTube, like with all Google products, there are many options available. Advertisements can be placed on videos; videos can be used as ads, or vice versa; and banner ads can be placed on the wildly popular video sharing site. YouTube is a Google search partner and a piece of the Google Display Network. What does this mean to you? If you are currently operating a search campaign that includes partners, or a display network campaign, your ads may already be displayed on YouTube.
Here is a Breakdown of PPC on YouTube:
- Ads Placed on Videos: This type of YouTube marketing can be displayed as text or banner ads that will lead the viewer directly to your website. A charge will be incurred each time your ad is clicked. Advertisements land in this spot through remarketing, when a user sets up an InVideo Ad or Google Display Network campaign.
- Ads used as Ads: Banner advertisements can be shown throughout YouTube in a number of locations, with remarketing and Google Display Network. The only area that is off limits is the homepage. This placement is managed separately. For these areas, rich or standard media ads can be used or flash ads. When users click your ads they will be directed to your site and you will incur a charge.
- Videos as In-Stream Ads: These ads are shown as an introduction, before the selected YouTube video starts playing. After about five seconds, the viewer has the option of skipping the remainder of the video advertisement. Users are then forwarded to your website. A charge is only incurred if the individual views your ad for more than 30 seconds. For ads that run shorter than 30 seconds, you will be charged if the user watches it to its entirety.
- In-Search or In-Display Ads for Video: This type was once known as a YouTube promoted video. These ads are displayed on YouTube’s search engine results page. Viewers are directed to either the channel page or the video watch page. When they start the video you will be charged. Ads for video show across the Google Display Network and on watch pages positioned near YouTube videos.
A Call-To-Action
Finally, for video ads that are directing a lot of traffic to a video on your channel, insert a CTA overlay. A call-to-action overlay is simply a text ad that appears in your video. This is very similar to ads on videos. This alternative option is a great way to get users directed to your website without an additional fee. You will need to have a current TrueView campaign activated to take advantage of the CTA overlay option. With it, you are able to show your videos in your channel with or without PPC.