Google has published a standalone help page about YouTube audio ads on its advertising platform for the first time ever. For an option that has existed for a while and been utilized, the new page represents a refreshing change and provides a comprehensive overview that allows a person unfamiliar with the offering to understand, assess and use this advertising tool more efficiently.
Below is an outline of what this new product entails, what advertisers can take away from this update, and how they can begin taking advantage of it themselves.
Google’s Announcement
Google has quietly published a lengthy article within its advertising help center that outlines the full setup and specification process for its YouTube audio ads. In essence, it is a how-to guide for a long-existing product. Namely, advertisers have been able to utilize this type of advertisement for several years already. They allow reaching users on YouTube and YouTube Music during listening-focused or audio-first sessions on the service.
However, until now, such a resource did not exist for this particular advertising product. Advertisers that wanted to understand the specifics of the setup process had to research across multiple resources, including general video campaign guidance, advertising forums, and trial-and-error testing. With this publication, all the necessary information is conveniently compiled in one place.
While seemingly a small step, this update highlights Google’s interest in the potential of this advertising product. YouTube and Music’s audio inventory has been steadily rising due to the overall rise in audio consumption on the platform. Google is interested in advertising on YouTube Music as a viable product, not only as a by-product of regular video content.
Where Audio Ads Actually Show Up
According to the documentation, ads are available within both YouTube and YouTube Music and utilize audio-first or listening-first sessions on either platform. In effect, the ads are shown when the user is primarily focused on listening to content, either while using the app on another device or when the YouTube app is open but not actively being viewed. This type of session is different from a standard in-stream YouTube ad, where the user is directly viewing content.
As such, the advertising message has to be created with this consumption method in mind. A typical video ad relies on engaging the viewer, which means using video as the primary medium, incorporating motion and on-screen text. An audio ad, by contrast, has to rely on being interesting to the listener, meaning that its visual components should be kept to a minimum.
The documentation gives several recommendations in regards to the production of such advertisements. Most importantly, since they are primarily audio, the file uploaded by the advertiser should be kept simple. For instance, the visual part of the ad can be a simple image or a short animation. Secondly, the length of the ad dictates the type of skippability. According to the documentation, ads that are 15 seconds or shorter are non-skippable, whereas those ranging from 16 to 30 seconds can be skipped by the user.
How the Format Works Technically
As is the case with any advertising product, setting up a YouTube audio ad campaign requires understanding the objective, bidding strategy, file specifications, and other relevant information. According to the documentation, audio ads are utilized under the Brand awareness and reach campaign objective. Within the brand awareness objective, the ads fall under the Audio video campaign subtype and can be found separately from regular video campaigns.
As for the advertising budget, audio ads use the Target CPM strategy, meaning the advertiser sets the cost per impression they wish to pay, and the system works to hit that target. From a strategic perspective, this makes sense, since ads in this category are primarily meant for broad audience awareness rather than direct response or conversions.
Why This Announcement Matters
For the advertising community, the release of this documentation has several implications. First and foremost, it indicates that this format is genuinely worth consideration, especially by publishers and brands that have been unable to utilize it until now due to a lack of relevant reference material. Having a detailed reference guide makes it significantly easier to experiment with the format.
Moreover, the release of such a document indicates that this advertising product has potential to offer significant value in terms of reach and frequency. As more and more advertising inventory becomes saturated with video content, the opportunity to utilize underused video formats becomes more attractive to advertisers.
In this particular case, YouTube’s audio consumption is also an attractive alternative due to its unique value. Listeners tend to use the service in their daily lives in ways that do not involve traditional video viewing. The ability to reach customers in those instances is an important advantage.
Moreover, advertisers should consider the value of utilizing this type of inventory in terms of cost efficiency. Due to the novelty of the advertising product, competition for inventory is unlikely to be as intense as with more established advertising formats. At the same time, the nature of the objective allows for a higher level of optimization to reach the most impactful impressions. As such, advertisers that utilize the audio ad format correctly can expect to see value both in terms of reach and cost efficiency.
What This Signals About Google’s Direction
Ultimately, this announcement is important because it indicates the direction in which Google is interested in expanding and developing. While the YouTube audio ad slot format itself has existed for several years, Google is now making a public push to encourage more advertisers to utilize it, and to position it as a viable advertising format.
Notably, this is in line with the company’s strategic push to utilize and promote YouTube Music as a major advertising platform.
The release of this documentation suggests that Google is interested in capitalizing on the growth of the audio consumption trend and building upon the rising presence of advertising within YouTube Music. It is also a sign that Google intends to provide advertisers with the tools they need to utilize the YouTube platform to its maximum capacity. Thus, companies that are currently tracking the progress of Google’s advertising will view this development as a possibility to explore the sphere of YouTube audio ads.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Started
In the case of organizations that are interested in trying this promotion method, everything is relatively easy since the setup process is well-documented. First, a company has to choose the message that it wants to deliver through these ads. This factor, in turn, will define their length since the skippable feature only appears if an advertisement lasts 16-30 seconds, while shorter videos will not give the audience an opportunity to stop them.. The ad’s file should be kept simple given that visual engagement is not a priority for such an ad.
When it comes to building the campaign itself, the audio ad campaign falls under the Brand awareness and reach campaign objective. When constructing the campaign, it is necessary to choose the Audio video campaign subtype. The Target CPM strategy is the recommended approach within the audio ad campaign due to its flexibility and focus on impressions. Ultimately, such an advertising product is best utilized within the framework of a brand awareness campaign, as trying to utilize it for direct response will lead to poor results due to the nature of the platform and the skippability of longer ads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What are YouTube audio ads?
They are ads that appear in YouTube and YouTube Music during audio-focused or listening-first sessions on the platform.
Q2: Is it a new advertising product?
No. It has existed for several years previously though there was no standalone documentation in regards to it before now.
Q3: What file types do advertisers upload for YouTube audio ads?
They upload video files, but the documentation recommends minimizing the visual components in favor of the audio. The visual components can be as simple as a still image or a short animation.
Q4: How does the length of the audio ad impact the advertising campaign?
It impacts skippability. According to the documentation, audio ads that are 15 seconds or shorter are non-skippable whereas those ranging from 16 to 30 seconds can be skipped by the listener.
Q5: What campaign objective should I select for YouTube audio ads?
They fall under the Brand awareness and reach campaign objective.
Q6: What campaign subtype should I select for YouTube audio ads?
You need to select the Audio video campaign subtype.
Q7: What strategy should I use for YouTube audio ads?
The Target CPM strategy is the recommended approach.
Q8: Where can I place YouTube audio ads?
They appear in YouTube and YouTube Music during listening-focused sessions.
Q9: Are YouTube audio ads better suited for brand awareness or for direct response?
They are better suited for brand awareness due to the nature of the advertising product and the strategy that must be used for them.
Q10: Why did Google release this guide?
It indicates the company’s interest in this advertising product and its intent to encourage wider adoption of it.
