Tell Me More: Display Ads

Tell Me More: Display Ads

Our Tell Me More series is designed to break down ad formats and products into bitesize chunks. There’s a growing universe of strategies and tactics and it’s our goal to make that universe a little more comprehensible.

We’re going to take a look at one of YouTube’s most popular advertising format, Display Ads

WHAT IS IT?

A display ad is a 300×250 or 300×60 image or animated advertisement that appears to the right of the video player. The ad will be placed right above YouTube’s recommended video sidebar feature, making it right in the viewer’s line of sight as they watch the video or when they are looking for the next video to watch.

Display ads are in prime YouTube real estate, as your ad will be seen without intruding upon the user’s viewing experience. You can also pair a display ad with your video ad to drive your brand’s message home and increase conversions.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Display ads are useful for any brand looking to extend their reach on YouTube, but they’re best for brands that are looking to achieve the following:

  • Increase Website Visits: Display ads are visible to all YouTube viewers. Take advantage of this space by linking to a landing page. Make sure you write a strong, personalized call-to-action that will entice viewers to check out your brand.
  • Boost Awareness: Since your ad appears right next to the video player, it will be seen by all. Even if you don’t have a landing page to link to, your ad will still garner high impressions due to its placement on the page. If you’re looking to increase brand awareness and recall, then display ads are perfect for your brand.
  • Target Desktop Users: Display ads only display on desktops, so you’re out of luck if you’re trying to target mobile users. However, many users still watch YouTube on desktop devices, especially if they are engaging with long-form content.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Display ads have some precise benefits for advertisers:

  • Drive Conversions: A catchy call-to-action and eye-popping design is enough to attract the attention of YouTube desktop users as they engage with the platform. Display ads are great for getting clicks to your website and drive conversions.
  • High Impressions: Display ads are placed right where viewers are looking, so impressions will be high. A strong targeting strategy will ensure your display ad is running on relative content watched by your audience, turning impressions into actionable results.
  • Pair With Other Ad Types: Use display ads to complement your video ads. Your display ad will remain on the page after your video ad plays, reinforcing your message and brand to viewers. You can even use the video ad as an introduction, and then pair it with a display ad to generate clicks to your website to learn more. There’s plenty of room for creativity with display ads!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Launching a display ad campaign is simple! First, create an ad with the following requirements:

  • 300×250 in size (or 300×60 for YouTube Reserve companions)
  • PNG, JPG, GIF, or HTML5 format
  • If you create an animated ad, it must be no longer than 30 seconds long

And that’s it! Now that you have your display ad ready to go, you’re only a few clicks away from launching your campaign.

ANYTHING ELSE I NEED TO KNOW?

Yes! Display ads are powerful for driving clicks and getting eyes on your brand. However, you don’t want to waste impressions by running on content that is unrelated to your company.

Here at Channel Factory, we have over 8 years of YouTube advertising experience, with expertise in content targeting, brand suitability and high performance on brand KPIs. If you’d like to learn more, contact us today!