Digital advertising with Google sounds like a good deal. Your audience must watch it, not skip it and actually hear it before you have to pay for the ad. That means your ads could be all over the web, but you only spend a dime when they meet a rigid set of Google advertising policies – at least, that’s their promise.
A recent study shared with The Wall Street Journal found that 80% of Google video ads on YouTube and across the web don’t meet the search engine giant’s own guidelines.
This sparked demands for refunds from advertisers who thought Google cheated them.
But did Google?
The search titan denied these claims and said the study’s sampling and methodologies were faulty, misleading and “overlooks safety and billing protocols.” That means there’s nothing to worry about if you have Google ad placements today. Your ads still work, and you’re not charged for invalid traffic.
But the study was made to test the viability of third party advertising in video formats for businesses.
So, does it hold up? Let’s explore Google’s way of digital advertising, how it works and if it’s still worth your investment.
The Importance of Google Video Ads
The implications of this controversy couldn’t be measured without understanding how important Google and YouTube ads are.
According to Cuyler Franzke, Thrive’s Paid Media Director, the number of users consuming video content should be enough to drive you to invest in video marketing:
“There are over 2.5 Billion active users on Youtube alone, who consume over 1 billion hours of video, resulting in billions of views. People are here, attention-engaged, across every major audience and demographic,” Franzke said.
He also noted that YouTube is the world’s second most-used search engine. Additionally, Franzke pointed out that video marketing has unlimited access to audiences, user intents and content.
“It provides a platform to reach whomever you want to reach at their most engaged moments,” Franzke said.
An Alleged Violation of Its Own Terms
So, what exactly was violated in the Google advertising policies?
Adalytics, the research firm behind the study, claims that Google TrueView ads were served on websites and applications that didn’t meet Google’s required level of customer experience.
First, Google TrueView ads should be displayed in-stream. Otherwise, the traffic you get is “invalid.” Invalid traffic won’t cost you since this is essentially misrepresenting your digital ads.
Here are other relevant Google and YouTube advertising guidelines for “quality” third-party advertising:
• Video content shouldn’t include controversial issues, such as terrorism, nudity and other sensitive events.
• Profanity shouldn’t be displayed or uttered on the title, thumbnail and inside the content.
• Video content shouldn’t show abuse, creation, trade and finding of illegal drugs.
However, Adalytics claim that Google has widely displayed Google video ads in other third party advertising formats, not just in-stream. Also, ads were displayed on videos with controversial and dangerous content.
Furthermore, TrueView digital ads were also served on low-quality sites with content that are:
• Clickbait
• Pirated
• Contrary to the promises of the Google Video Partners (GVP) program
According to them, this resulted in an inflation of traffic numbers and, consequently, costs.
(Read more: Full report from Adalytics)
What Google Says
In response, Google’s Marvin Renaud, Director of Global Video Solutions, explained the Google advertising policies, saying Adalytics “made extremely inaccurate claims about the Google Video Partners (GVP) network.”
Here are the most pressing points of the post:
• Faulty methodology: Google said Adalytics employed sampling and confirmation bias, asking leading questions and overlooked Google’s safety and billing protocols. These flaws in the process ultimately led to equally flawed conclusions.
• Third-party support: Google employed independent third-party firms to validate Adalytics’ claims: DoubleVerify, IAS and Pixability. Their findings contradicted Adalytics’ claims.
• Served ads aren’t automatically charged: Google utilizes automated filters and human reviews to detect invalid traffic. While Adalytics was correct that some videos sifted through Google’s guidelines, they’re not automatically billed.
• Different video formats: Google clarifies that Trueview ads aren’t just in-stream ads. They also have Video Action Campaigns that display in-stream and out-stream digital ads.
If the tech giant’s words are to be trusted, your Google ad placements are still in good hands. As long as you know which format to use, how to optimize targeting and enhance quality, your Google video ads and YouTube ads are safe.
(Read more: Google’s response to Adalytics)
And that’s it for our discussion on Google and YouTube advertising guidelines. Now, we’ll take a refresher on what your Google ad placements look like.
How Are Video Ads Displayed on YouTube and Beyond?
According to Google, YouTube ads come in different formats:
• Skippable video ads: These are 5-second ads that play inside a YouTube video that users can skip.
• Non-skippable video ads: These are ads that people have to watch before viewing a video. They range from 15 to 20 seconds, depending on your location.
• Bumper ads: These are shorter, non-skippable.
• YouTube Shorts ads: These are swipeable video or image ads inside a user’s Shorts feed in-between videos.
• Watch feed ads: Appear in your recommended video feed below your mobile player or beside your desktop player.
• Back-to-back ads: These are bundles of skippable and non-skippable ads that appear in videos at least five minutes long.
TrueView Ad formats are similar. The only notable difference would be the outstream video ad format used in third-party advertising.
Image from Google Ads Help
Video action campaigns (VACs) are a special type of video format that utilizes skippable in-stream and in-feed video ad formats.
Unlike traditional TrueView ads, a video action campaign lets you add more assets, such as sitelinks and lead forms. You can also use these campaigns within the YouTube ecosystem. Here are Google’s digital advertising guidelines for VACs:
• Call-to-action: Maximum of 10 characters.
• Headline: Only used in the skippable in-stream format with a maximum of 15 characters.
• Long Headline: Only used in the in-feed video ad format with a maximum of 90 characters.
• Description: Maximum of 70 characters.
You can also add custom elements for your skippable in-stream video ads, such as sitelinks, lead forms and product feeds from your Merchant Center.
Google illustrates how they look in different interfaces:
Mobile Displays
Images from Google Ads Help
Other Displays
Images from Google Ads Help
You can also use programmatic ads to target users across all platforms, including mobile, video and display. With programmatic ads, you can reach people based on their interests, demographics and more in real-time.
“Programmatic works best in Brand Awareness and assisting in improving conversions and CPAs,” Franzke said.
“Every single company could use programmatic ads to improve audience reach, engagement and conversion, but should be prioritized if budgets are smaller.”
However, he warns that programmatic ads shouldn’t be used in isolation. Instead, you should use it as a tool to further reinforce your overall paid media strategy.
Franzke also suggested creating ads in various formats, lengths and content. This way, you can test and assess the performance of each advertisement in different interfaces. You should also consider the content of your ads, depending on the interface being used.
Tips To Make Unskippable TrueView and YouTube Ads
So, what should you do with your YouTube and third-party advertising video campaigns? We won’t recommend you ask Google for refunds because there are real ways to make your video ads work.
Here are some tactics to keep in mind.
1. Optimize For Google and YouTube Advertising Guidelines
The main contention against Google’s advertising model is it didn’t follow its own terms of service. However, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t.
Your best chance to appear in monetized videos and reach your audience is by following their guidelines. Even a Google advertising agency wouldn’t encourage you to deviate from the best practices laid down by Google.
Here’s a list of practices you should follow:
• Follow Google’s editorial guidelines.
• If you’re promoting a social media application, it shouldn’t contain sexual topics, nudity and live chat. Its primary purpose also shouldn’t be about meeting new people and dating.
• Your ad shouldn’t make exaggerated or false claims about your product.
Image from Advertising Policies Help
• No profanity or negative disturbing imagery, such as violence, scary content, decay and more.
• Your ad should have a clear source of media.
• Ads that disturbingly leverage bodily or health conditions are not allowed.
• Your assets shouldn’t be related to politics, elections and gambling.
Aside from guidelines, a high production value is a must according to Franzke. You must create video ads that “look, sound and feel like the highest quality video on the platform,” Franzke said.
Following these guidelines helps your ad appear in relevant videos. However, high quality of work from the get-go is the only way to ensure it’s getting the views and engagement it needs.
2. Make Your Ad Accessible
YouTube and third party advertising can be tricky since you have to deal with space and size limitations. Make sure your visuals are pleasing while still conveying the message clearly so viewers will take action.
• Keep logos, text and fonts easy to read even when they’re small in scale.
• Ensure the color scheme is appropriate for a mobile device – dark colors can be difficult to see on a smaller screen.
• Use high-quality image assets and visuals, including icons, stock photos or illustrations that are relevant to your message.
• Use closed captions or subtitles in videos to ensure the message is clear for those who watch with the volume off.
• Make sure the text of your ad is straightforward and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and use simple vocabulary instead.
A YouTube advertising agency would know all these rules and be able to produce effective campaigns that target your desired audience.
3. Design a Custom, Captivating Thumbnail
Your thumbnails provide a sneak peek of your ads’ content. People must know why yours is worth their precious 15 seconds. That’s why you must design a captivating thumbnail that attracts potential viewers and encourages them to watch your ad.
The critical elements of a captivating thumbnail include:
• An eye-catching color palette.
• A bold, easy-to-read font and headline that quickly communicates the purpose of your ad.
• Using brand colors or logos for added recognition.
Franzke recommends that you treat these thumbnails (and, of course, your ads) like you’re telling a story. Incorporating early movement and a consistent pace throughout your ad keeps your audience engaged until the last second.
4. Integrate CTAs
Ads are all about getting clicks, engagements and conversions. Calls-to-action clarifies that your awesome video isn’t just for fun, but you also want your viewers to do something with the content.
Whether you’re asking your viewers to sign up for a newsletter, register for an upcoming event or purchase a product, make sure this call-to-action is visible and easy to understand.
5. Leverage Google’s Retargeting Options
According to a 2021 research by SharpSpring, people who view retargeted campaigns are 70% more likely to convert. And with Google ads, you can easily create retargeting campaigns.
Here are three easy steps to do this:
1. Link your YouTube channel and Google ads account.
2. Create data segments of viewers who have performed the following:
Image from Google Ads Help
3. Retarget these lists for your campaign.
However, you can’t create lists from bumper and non-skippable ad views.
So, do you know if you’re retargeting correctly? The only way to do that is by testing your campaigns over and over again. While that sounds like a lot of work, the results are worth it.
6. Be Human and Helpful
Most ads are seen as disruptive and unhelpful, so break that stigma and make your ads feel like part of the conversation by helping them, not just selling your product or service.
For example, you can frame your beauty product ad as a helpful ‘how-to’ video or your automotive ad as one that helps buyers make an informed decision. You can consult a YouTube advertising agency to help create these meaningful ad experiences.
Also, ensure you’re being mindful of the videos viewers watch when they see your ad – it should be relevant to them.
Partner With a Google Advertising Agency Today
You don’t have to worry about flawed algorithms if you know you’re consistently pumping out quality ads. Once you follow search engine best practices and learn to target the right audience, you’ll be well on your way to a successful campaign.
If you’re unsure how this works, why not partner with Thrive Internet Marketing Agency? We’re a team of 200+ digital marketers, creatives and strategists that make successful campaigns on YouTube, the Google ecosystem and beyond.
We also have a long-standing history of success in creating compelling, results-driven assets and strategies for all types of businesses.
