Unlocking the power of YouTube Ads: feed, shorts & skippable formats

YouTube Ads are a game-changing tool for brands seeking to maximise reach and engagement. But a lot of PPC marketers are missing out on their full potential with this platform. 

It’s all to do with a “triple threat” approach, making use of all three ad types available on YouTube. In this article, we’ll break down all the details on how to get the most impact from this strategy, and how to make informed decisions behind when and where to use each ad type.

We’ll also look into how this YouTube marketing strategy can benefit the rest of your existing and future marketing. Let’s get started:

• YouTube Ads - An overview
• YouTube Feed Ads
• YouTube Shorts
• Skippable Ads (increased user control)
• Choosing the right format
• Integrating YouTube Ads into your broader marketing strategy

YouTube Ads - An overview

YouTube combines video content with social interactivity, offering a powerful platform for paid advertising.

Its ad ecosystem supports businesses with formats designed for a variety of campaigns:

• Feed Ads: Ideal for discovery and awareness campaigns.

• Shorts: Short-form video ads targeting quick and engaging interactions.

• Skippable Ads: Giving users control while delivering impactful storytelling opportunities.

YouTube Feed Ads

What are feed ads?

• These ads appear within YouTube’s search results, homepage feed, and “Up Next” recommendations.

• They blend naturally into the browsing experience, boosting discoverability.

• Key goal: to drive user clicks to video content or external links.

Best practices for feed ads

Thumbnail Optimisation

• Use eye-catching, high-quality visuals to grab attention.
• Include concise, impactful text overlays to encourage clicks.

Headline and Description

• Write engaging, curiosity-driven copy that will make users want to read on.
• Focus on user benefits or an impactful call-to-action (CTA).

Targeting

• Focus on detailed audience segmentation (e.g., demographics, interests).
• Use remarketing to reach engaged viewers who’ve interacted with your brand.

Examples
A fitness app showcasing transformation stories in the search feed with enticing thumbnails and “Learn More” CTAs. This serves as a gentle introduction to your brand without needing to really push a hard sell on casually browsing users.

A cosmetics brand using homepage feed ads to feature tutorials or reviews. This is a great way for people who are already curious about makeup to discover your brand through something useful to them, like a tutorial.

YouTube Shorts 

What are YouTube Shorts?

• A vertical video format catering to bite-sized, highly engaging content.

• Typically 10–60 seconds in length, targeting younger, mobile-first audiences.

Why focus on Shorts?

Shorts are often aligned with trends in short-form video consumption (e.g., TikTok, Instagram Reels) so you can tailor your content to the most viral, current trend. It’s effective for building brand awareness through quick interactions.

Best practices for Shorts

Content Creation

• Focus on snappy, visually dynamic storytelling.
• Start with a strong hook within the first 3 seconds.
• Use bold captions and subtitles for added clarity. (Remember, not all users will have sound when scrolling!)

Audience Relevance

• Tailor content to younger demographics with relatable themes and humour.

Call-to-Action

• End with a clear, engaging CTA to encourage follow-up actions (e.g., “Swipe up,” “Learn more”).

Key requirements

• Duration: 10–60 seconds.
• Aspect ratio: 9:16 vertical format.
• Top tip: Add trending music or sound effects for increased engagement.

Skippable Ads (increased user control) 

What Are skippable ads?
These are potentially the most famous of the YouTube ads of today; pre-roll or mid-roll ads that allow viewers to skip after 5 seconds. They’re perfect for storytelling and longer-form content without frustrating users.

Benefits of skippable ads

• Viewers feel empowered, reducing ad fatigue.
• Advertisers only pay for views exceeding 30 seconds (or full ad duration).

Tips for maximising conversions

Strong Openings

• Hook the audience immediately with compelling visuals or questions.

Call-to-Action Strategies

• Include CTAs like “Shop Now” or “Sign Up Today.”
• Use overlays, end screens, or clickable links.

Ad Length

• Stay concise – keep ads between 15–30 seconds where possible.
• If you do decide to go for a longer ad of 1-3 minutes, tell a good story. No user wants to be bored!

Targeting

• Focus on user behaviour insights (e.g., watched similar content or searched related keywords).

Choosing the right format 

While we recommend using all ad types in YouTube for the most cohesive and consistent marketing, here are some ad formats that lend themselves to specific uses overall.

Feed ads
Perfect for discovery campaigns or driving clicks to specific content.

Shorts ads
Ideal for engaging younger, mobile-first audiences with quick, fun content.

Skippable ads
Best for storytelling, product demonstrations, or emotional appeals.

Factors to consider

• Audience behaviour: Mobile vs desktop, age group, preferences.
• Campaign KPIs: Awareness, clicks, conversions.
• Ad duration: Match format requirements and user attention spans.

Integrating YouTube Ads into your broader marketing strategy

The best way to bring in results from your YouTube marketing is to make it a small part of a wider marketing strategy. Here’s how to make the most of your campaign:

Complementing other channels
Pair your YouTube marketing with Google Ads for seamless retargeting across platforms. This way, a user who first discovers you on YouTube will have reminders of your best offers and product features when they are browsing online in general, not just when they’re on YouTube specifically.

Use YouTube’s insights to inform creative strategies for social media campaigns. There’s already such a significant crossover between how users interact with YouTube and how they engage on social media, so make the most of this through integrating these campaigns to compliment one another. 

Cross-channel recommendations
Combine YouTube with display, social, and email campaigns for unified messaging that reaches much further than YouTube alone.

Repurpose YouTube content into bite-sized clips for Instagram Reels, TikTok, or LinkedIn. This way, you’re saving time and money on a huge build-out, whilst also engaging users effectively.

In Conclusion

YouTube’s diverse ad formats (Feed, Shorts, and Skippable Ads) offer unique opportunities to reach and engage audiences. But you’ll get the best from each ad type if you know specifically when and where to use it.

Success lies in selecting the right format for your goals, optimising all of your creative assets, and integrating YouTube ads into a broader marketing strategy.

With a thoughtful, data-driven approach, you can unlock the full potential of YouTube advertising. Now all you need to do is get started.

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