5 MINUTE READ
As the 2nd most popular search engine after Google, YouTube is now a major stop on any traveler’s purchase journey. According to Google’s Traveler’s Road to Decision survey, 64% of travelers watched travel-related videos when planning a trip. This represents a tremendous amount of travel intent that most hotel marketers are missing out on.
Paid video ads are key to driving direct bookings, and getting them seen by travelers while they are planning their trip is absolutely essential. Video ads may seem intimidating and expensive at first, but Google Adwords has made the whole process a breeze with TrueView.
TrueView is the name for Google’s centralized video ad platform, where you can reach hotel bookers on YouTube and across the web on the Google Display Network.
Accessed through your Adwords dashboard, TrueView is designed around the promise that you’ll only pay when someone engages with your video ad. In addition, TrueView video ads can be targeted by interest, demographic, keyword, location, and more.
There are two categories of TrueView ads: In-Stream and Video Discovery.
In-Stream
In-Stream video ads play before or during another video from a Youtube partner. Viewers see five seconds of your video and can then choose to skip it or keep watching. You are only charged for a video ad when a viewer:
- watches at least 30 seconds of your ad
- watches the entire ad (if under 30 seconds in length)
- interacts with your ad (clicks on a link or call-to-action)
Otherwise, you pay nothing. This is a fantastic way to get your message in front of your target audience without going over budget.
Otherwise, you pay nothing. This is a fantastic way to get your message in front of your target audience without going over budget.
Video Discovery
Video Discovery ads appear alongside YouTube videos, in YouTube search results, and on websites in the Google Display Network that match your target audience. These ads consist of a thumbnail that includes the video image and three lines of text. Viewers who click on the ad are taken directly to the YouTube watch or channel page.
TrueView also offers full control over total budget and cost-per-view (CPV) for each ad so you can easily manage your ad spend.
Types of Video Ads
While there are any number of ways to present a video ad, most YouTube advertisers tend to stick to the following formats:
6-second “bumper” ads
Six seconds may not seem like enough time, but many large brands use bumpers to boost ad recall and awareness. Bumper ads are a cost-effective way to reach your target audience, ensure your message is seen, and keep your hotel top of mind.
15-second and 30-second ads
Presented in a more traditional commercial format, ads between fifteen and thirty seconds are the preferred way to prompt a call-to-action. The option to skip these videos after five seconds means that the only views you pay for are from genuinely interested viewers. TrueView also enables you to embed custom links and CTA overlays throughout your video ad, driving more potential bookers to your website or booking engine.
Long-form ads
Because skippable TrueView ads are opt-in, they can be any length. Contrary to first impressions, shorter ads are not always the best option. Long-form ads have been shown to increase awareness and brand favorability more effectively than shorter ads. For viewers, the extra depth and narrative complexity creates a more meaningful connection to your brand. For hotels with a deeper story to tell, a long-form ad may be necessary to persuade people to book.
There are pros and cons to every format, so it’s best to employ a strategic mix of short and long-form content in your ad campaign.
Creating Content
When creating video content, it’s important to work with a production company that is flexible and can provide ongoing support. Accommovision can produce any number of different ad formats for your hotel and resort. With our expert editing team, your hotel footage can be re-cut and re-purposed to suit any marketing need. Contact us to find out how we can help you create top-quality video content for your TrueView ad campaigns.
Check out this video for more information on Google’s TrueView…