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YouTube Offers New Ad Tools to Help Marketers Tap into the Rise in YouTube Viewership

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youtube offers new ad tools to help marketers tap into the rise in youtube viewership

Like all social platforms, YouTube has seen a significant rise in usage in 2020, with the COVID-19 lockdowns pushing more people to find alternate entertainment sources to their usual, in person social events.

But YouTube is also a little different in that its focus is video content, as opposed to social elements. So while you can comment and engage on YouTube clips, making it, technically, a social media platform, the majority of user attention is on the content itself. Which actually makes YouTube more like traditional TV – and it’s becoming more and more like a regular TV alternative over time.

Indeed, these days, kids don’t watch regular TV – their favorite programs are created by YouTube celebrities, who focus on increasingly niche elements and appeal to more specific audiences. More adults, too, are now watching YouTube in preference to regular channels – in fact,  YouTube says that watch time of YouTube content on TV screens jumped 80% year over year

The benefit of that, for marketers, is that as more people switch over to YouTube, more businesses can run TV-like promotions, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional broadcast campaign, and with a might higher degree of targeting. Done well, that can be hugely effective – and this week, YouTube has added some new elements to help further hone your YouTube ad campaigns, including advanced data insights and new category targeting.

First up, on targeting – to give marketers more options in where they place their YouTube ads, YouTube’s adding dynamic lineups, which segment videos based on their content, with YouTube’s machine learning systems now able to better determine what each video is about.

YouTube ad tools

As explained by YouTube:

“Advanced contextual targeting is the next generation of content targeting on YouTube. It uses Google’s machine learning to better understand each channel on YouTube, including analysis of video imagery, sound, speech and text. This allows us to create lineups that are scalable across content based on specific topics, cultural moments or popularity.” 

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That provides even more targeting options – so instead of targeting broad-reaching categories like “home” or “lifestyle”, dynamic lineups enables you to hone in further, on say “home and garden” or “home improvement” instead. 

“This means better access to customers with unique interests and needs-all with the brand suitability controls that are most important for your business.”  

That could make it easier to get your message in front of more receptive, responsive audiences, and as Google’s systems evolve, that targeting will only improve, enabling more focus – which ideally means spending less to reach the right audience segments.

YouTube’s also expanding its data partnership with Nielsen to help marketers in more regions reach the right audiences.

Late last year, YouTube announced that had integrated Nielsen TV data into its Reach Planner, which enables marketers to get a broader view of audience trends, and plan against TV demographics. Essentially, this provides more oversight as to where your target markets are watching, facilitating better planning and placement for your campaigns.

And now, YouTube will add  Nielsen’s Total Ad Ratings for advertisers in the UK and Italy, in addition to the US.

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YouTube says that the additional data insight has already helped many brands maximize their campaigns:

PepsiCo Beverages, turned to YouTube to drive scale and extend reach of Pepsi’s “Gift it Forward” Holiday campaign. The campaign did not disappoint – YouTube drove new brand buyers during the holiday season to the unique audience we wanted to reach.”

YouTube Pepsi

In addition to this, parent company Google is also adding new options for programmatic deals in Display & Video 360 campaigns, while it’s also extended its similar audience functionality to the same, for more advanced video advertisers.

As noted, these new tools could help further hone in your YouTube ad campaigns, and reach the right audience for lower cost.

Socialmediatoday.com

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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