- YouTube launches an audio only ad format to target music fans
- The new format will target viewers who are not actively viewing
- YouTube aims to increase ad revenue and compete against others
YouTube, which claims to be the world’s largest jukebox, now wants to boost its ad revenue. Google-owned video site wants to leverage the platform’s music fans. YouTube announced its ad products in a new format. The ads are designed to help marketers reach users.
The addition is that of audio advertising. The video giant launched 15-second audio ads. It is the first of its kind on the YouTube platform. In other words, the ads are designed for users who may only glance at their screen occasionally.
Purpose of New Features
The new ad format is expected to boost the revenue it generates from music on the platform. YouTube has one of the largest collections of music with over 70 million official tracks. It also hosts remixes, live performances, covers, among other music content. With this move, YouTube aims to go head-to-head with Spotify. Spotify has been selling audio-only ads and offering targeted music genres for years.
The audio ads are currently in the beta testing phase. According to YouTube, the ads help marketers to expand the reach and grow brand awareness. During the alpha testing, more than 75% of audio ad campaigns on YouTube led to a significant lift in brand awareness. The platform provides similar measurement, audience, and brand safety features as their video campaigns.
YouTube claims that over 2 billion logged-in viewers watch at least one music video each month. It adds that more than 50% of viewers consume content for more than 10 minutes daily. The company wishes to capture an audience engaging with the content they love.
Dynamic Music Lineup
Alongside the audio ads, YouTube also launched the dynamic music lineup. YouTube introduced the ability for advertisers to buy dynamic music lineups. These include Top 100 charts by country and collections of channels in popular genres. Currently available genres are Latin, K-pop, country, rap, and hip-hop.
The new ad format allows marketers to buy ads targeted by moods or interests. They can buy ads based on fitness, relaxation, or meditation. Thus they will be able to reach music fans globally and drive results for the business.
The ads will be available via auction on Google Ads and Display and Video 360. The ads will be based on cost-per-thousand (CPM) and reach the same audience like that in video campaigns. The audio ads will comprise a still image or simple animation. They will appear just like the in-stream video ads on YouTube and will include clickable areas with a link to their website.
