YouTube is now 14.2 percent of all US TV viewing, more than any other media company. WWC buys it two ways: YouTube ads on every screen, and YouTube TV inside live news and sports.
Two buys, one name
YouTube is the video platform: free to watch, ad supported, on every screen. YouTube TV is a paid live TV service, cable channels and local stations delivered over the internet, with ad breaks like cable.
They are bought differently. YouTube ads run through Google Ads, with audience, keyword and location targeting, in formats from skippable in-stream to short non-skippable spots to Shorts. YouTube TV inventory is bought programmatically through Google's Display & Video 360, and it is included in YouTube Select lineups by default, according to Google's own YouTube TV ads FAQ (opens in a new tab).
They do different jobs, too. YouTube reaches people in the moment, often on a phone, often while they research. YouTube TV reaches them on the couch during live programming, which behaves a lot like cable. And YouTube on the TV screen is no side channel: it is 14.2 percent of all US TV viewing, per Nielsen (opens in a new tab).
What we buy
Skippable in-stream
Plays before or during a video. Viewers can skip after five seconds, per Google (opens in a new tab), so the first five seconds have to do the selling.
Non-skippable and bumpers
Short spots that cannot be skipped, for reach and frequency when the message is simple.
Shorts
Vertical video ads between Shorts, built for the phone.
YouTube on TV screens
Your spot on the living room TV through the YouTube app, bought by device.
YouTube TV
Ads inside live channels and local programming, bought through Display & Video 360 and YouTube Select.
Targeting
Google's data, aimed at your market.
- City, ZIP or radius
- In-market audiences
- Custom segments from searches
- Your site visitors
- Life events
How it fits
YouTube sits between paid search and TV. The same Google account that runs search can show video to the people who searched your category, and the same 30 second spot that runs on streaming can run on YouTube with no new production.
We plan YouTube and YouTube TV with the rest of the TV buy, so the plan accounts for the overlap between streaming, cable and YouTube instead of three vendors each assuming they reached a different person.
Does YouTube TV have ads?
Yes. YouTube TV carries live channels with their ad breaks, and some of that ad inventory is sold through Google. That is what advertisers buy when they buy YouTube TV.
How do I advertise on YouTube TV?
Through Google's Display & Video 360, directly or as part of YouTube Select lineups, which include YouTube TV inventory by default, per Google (opens in a new tab). Most advertisers reach it through Display & Video 360 rather than the standard Google Ads interface, which is one reason businesses buy it through an agency.
How much do YouTube ads cost?
You set the budget and the bid, and you pay by view or by thousand impressions depending on the format. Costs depend on the audience and the competition for it. We set budgets by reach goal: how many people in your market, and how many times each.
What is the difference between YouTube ads and YouTube TV ads?
YouTube ads run on the free YouTube platform, on phones, computers and TVs, and are bought in Google Ads. YouTube TV ads run inside the live TV service's channels and are bought through Display & Video 360. One is digital video, the other behaves like cable.
Can YouTube ads target one city?
Yes. Google Ads targets YouTube by city, ZIP code or radius, so a campaign can run across Houston, or in five ZIP codes around your locations.
Do we need a separate video for YouTube?
Usually a different cut. On YouTube the first five seconds matter more than anywhere else, because that is when the skip button appears. We cut a YouTube version of the TV spot that says the brand and the offer up front.
Tell us your market and your audience. We will plan YouTube and YouTube TV with the rest of your TV buy.