youtubeads.
How YouTube ads work, which formats there are, how you pay and what video you need. From a team that runs the campaigns and makes the videos.
On YouTube, the ad is the video. A clever campaign with a dull video is money thrown away: the first five seconds, before anyone can skip, decide almost everything.
The right format.
The right video.
Measured to revenue.
the ad formats
You buy YouTube ads in Google Ads. These are the formats you'll use most.
(01) Skippable in-stream
Plays before, during or after a video; viewers can skip after 5 seconds. You usually pay only when someone watches 30 seconds (or the whole ad, if it's shorter) or clicks.
(02) Non-skippable in-stream
Up to 15 seconds that everyone sees. You pay per thousand impressions. Good for reach, but only with a strong video.
(03) Bumper
6 seconds, not skippable. Ideal for repeating a message to people who've already seen your longer video.
(04) In-feed
Appears in search results and next to recommended videos. You pay when someone clicks to watch.
(05) Shorts
Vertical video between Shorts. Needs its own vertical edit, not a cropped landscape video.
(06) Demand Gen
A campaign type that combines YouTube (including Shorts), Discover and Gmail, and optimises for conversions rather than views alone.
what it costs
Google has no minimum budget. What you need depends on your goal.
(01) How you pay
Per view for skippable and in-feed ads, per thousand impressions for bumpers and non-skippable ads. Demand Gen optimises for conversions or clicks.
(02) Ad budget
To learn anything you need data. For Google Ads we usually work with ad budgets from €1,500 a month, across all campaigns.
(03) Management
Google Ads management from €750 a month, YouTube included. An account audit is €495, one-off.
(04) The video
A hero film with cutdowns for every placement from €3,000. A steady stream of ad variants from €2,500 a month.
what makes a video work
What we see in videos that don't get skipped.
- Your brand or product in the first 5 seconds, before anyone can skip
- One message per video, not three
- Sound and captions: not everyone watches with the sound on
- A clear next step, with a reason to act now
- Separate versions for landscape, square and vertical
- Several hooks tested against each other, instead of one video that has to work
how we do it
Campaign and video from one team.
Goal and measurement
What should YouTube deliver: reach, traffic or conversions? And is the tracking right for that?
Video
Script, edit or animation, with cutdowns for every format.
Campaigns
The right formats and audiences, with existing customers excluded where it makes sense.
Test and scale
Hooks and variants against each other. Winners get budget, losers are retired.
questions
The questions we get asked most.
How much do YouTube ads cost?
Google has no minimum. You pay per view, per thousand impressions or per click, depending on the format. To learn enough, we usually work with ad budgets from €1,500 a month.
Do I need an expensive video?
No, but you need a good one. Strong hooks and a clear message matter more than production budget. You can often start with footage you already have.
How do you measure whether YouTube works?
With conversion tracking in Google Ads, and ideally revenue from your CRM. Many people see a video and search for your name later, so watch your brand searches too.
YouTube or Meta?
Rarely either-or. YouTube reaches people who watch for longer, including on their TV. Meta is strong for short, fast creative tests. We go where your buyers are.
Do you make the video too?
Yes. Our video and motion team makes the videos and cutdowns, so campaign and creative fit together.
go deeper
Where this connects to the rest of what we do.
videos nobody skips?
Book 30 minutes. We'll look at your goal, your existing videos and what a first campaign needs.