Google Shopping Ads on Youtube’s TrueView

Youtube is known as a platform that hosts user-generated videos, both network and professional. Five years ago, Youtube introduced TrueView - an in-stream video ad format that plays before a viewer’s desired video. They can choose to watch or skip the ad. This was expected. But did you ever think that Youtube would become a shopping platform?

Yes, Google and Youtube have recently introduced TrueView for Shopping, a program that allows retailers to place Google shopping ads directly in their Youtube video ads. Product details and images are showcased alongside the video ad. Viewers can click on the product ad to buy the product from the merchant’s site.

TrueView for Shopping has been made available on all devices, including mobile, desktop and tablet. Retailers simply need to connect their video campaign with a product feed from the Google Merchant Center and dynamic product ads will appear in their in-stream videos. The product ads are selected according to viewer profiles for a customized approach.

[caption id="attachment_16422" align="aligncenter" width="800"] (source: marketingland)[/caption]

The feature is built on the cards platform that Google launched earlier this year. “Cards for TrueView,” was introduced to make TrueView Ads more interactive, enabling retailers to tell the viewer more about their brand and to recommend similar videos and the like.

Brands that have tried TrueView for Shopping have seen impressive results, including increased brand recall, brand consideration and a revenue increase per impression. Online home store Wayfair and beauty retailer Sephora are amongst those who have tested the so-called shopping medium.

For more information click here.