If you read my last blog, you would know that I am not a fan of video ads on YouTube. Not only are they irksome to the viewer, but they may actually hurt the company’s reputation and cause ill will.
Luckily, Google ads allow advertisers to reach their audience through YouTube without disturbing the video viewers. The two preferred alternatives to YouTube commercials are:
Post original content – Creative YouTube Videos
Companies can post as many commercials as they want, as long as they’re on their own channel. For example, Pepsi has a four-minute long commercial with over 130,000 likes and 37 million views! The reason this commercial is so much more successful than other paid commercials on YouTube is (1) because the video is humorous and (2) they invite you to come see it, rather than hunting you down.
The point of using social media is to have people share and discuss things that interest them. Offering a more entertaining option instead of a ‘hard sell’ video on a social site can lead to greater success when people share the video with friends.
The alternative method would be…
Pay for static ads –
To reference my last blog post again, the door-to-door salesman is back, but he hasn’t rung your doorbell. You can see him through the window, sitting outside your house with his big sign and briefcase, but at least he’s not harassing you while you eat. This salesman is still making you feel slightly annoyed, especially when he begins to dance around or tries to make you play a game (gif ads), but at least he’s willing to be courteous enough to let you choose if you want to hear what he has to say.
Alternatively, if you have a static ad, perhaps in a sidebar or underneath the video, it will not directly interfere with the video the viewer is trying to watch. Even a pop-up ad on the video is acceptable, since a viewer can just click the “x” in the top right corner to close it.
Static ads are less engaging than videos with original content. However, they are also less expensive. If the tag lines of the ad are interesting enough, a few people may actually click through and read what you have to say about your product.
If you feel compelled to make YouTube commercials anyways, I will offer some tips in my next blog post on making your video ads as palatable as possible.