How And Why You Should Use Google Ads For Video Marketing

Setting up a video campaign with Google Ads is a structured process. Following these steps will help you launch a well-defined campaign that is optimised to reach the right audience with the right message and achieve your business goals. Partnering with a professional Google Ads Services provider can further enhance results through expert targeting and strategy.

• • Step 1: Create a Google Ads account. Before you can do anything, you need a Google Ads account. If you already have a Google account (like Gmail), you can use it to sign up. The setup process is straightforward and will guide you through providing your business information and payment details. It is also essential to have a YouTube channel for your business, as this is where you will upload the video you intend to use for your ad. Once both are set up, you will need to link your YouTube channel to your Google Ads account, which can be done easily within the Google Ads dashboard. This connection allows the two platforms to share information, enabling you to run ads and see performance data.
  • Step 2: Select campaign type: “Video.” Once inside your Google Ads dashboard, you will start by creating a new campaign. Google will present you with several campaign types, such as Search, Display, Shopping, and Video. For this purpose, you will select “Video.” This choice tells Google that you intend to use video content and provides you with the specific settings and ad formats relevant to video advertising on YouTube and its partner network. This is a critical first step as it determines the entire framework and available options for the rest of your campaign setup.
  • Step 3: Define campaign goals. After selecting the video campaign type, Google will ask you to choose a goal for your campaign. This is a crucial step because your chosen goal will influence the bidding strategies and settings that Google recommends. Common goals include “Sales,” “Leads,” “Website traffic,” “Product and brand consideration,” and “Brand awareness and reach.” For example, if you choose “Sales,” Google will help you focus on actions that lead to purchases. If you choose “Brand awareness,” it will focus on getting your ad seen by as many relevant people as possible. Choosing the right goal ensures your campaign is optimised for the outcome that matters most to your business.
  • Step 4: Set budget and bidding strategy. Next, you need to decide how much you are willing to spend. You can set a total campaign budget or a daily budget. A daily budget gives you control over your spending each day, ensuring you don’t overspend. After setting your budget, you will choose a bidding strategy. For video ads, a common strategy is Cost-Per-View (CPV), where you set the maximum amount you are willing to pay for a single view of your ad. A “view” is typically counted when someone watches 30 seconds of your ad or interacts with it. This strategy is cost-effective because you are only paying for engaged viewers.
  • Step 5: Choose target audience. This is where the power of Google Ads truly shines. You can define exactly who you want to see your video ad. The targeting options are incredibly detailed. You can target by demographics such as age, gender, parental status, and household income. You can also target people based on their interests and habits (Affinity audiences) or what they are actively researching or planning to buy (In-market audiences). Furthermore, you can target users who have previously interacted with your website (Remarketing) or even target specific keywords, topics, or YouTube channels. This precise targeting ensures your ad is shown to people who are most likely to be interested in your product or service.
  • Step 6: Upload or link your video ad (via YouTube). With all your settings in place, it is time to select the video you want to use as your ad. You do this by simply searching for your video on your linked YouTube channel or by pasting its YouTube URL into the designated field. Google Ads will then display a preview of how your ad will appear in various formats (e.g., skippable in-stream or discovery ads). At this stage, you will also write the accompanying ad copy, such as the headline, description, and the all-important call-to-action that directs viewers to your website or landing page.
  • Step 7: Launch and monitor performance. After reviewing all your settings and being satisfied with your ad creative, you can launch your campaign. However, the work is not done. It is essential to monitor your campaign’s performance regularly through the Google Ads dashboard. You can track key metrics like views, view rate, click-through rate, and conversions. This data will tell you what is working and what is not. Based on this information, you can make adjustments to your targeting, bidding, or ad creative to improve your results over time and maximize your return on investment.