YouTube CTV to Roll Out Massive Targeting and Buying Improvements–Will CTV Reign Supreme This Q4?
As some 194 million users have been streaming away on their Connected TV (CTV) devices, YouTube has been hard at work making major advancements to its Display and Video 360 to address advertiser challenges and improve viewer experience.
Most recently, Google announced three monumental upgrades to YouTube CTV’s inventory, targeting, and measurement, all of which should kick into effect in time for the holidays.
The timing is no coincidence: As more and more advertisers and viewers redirect their attention away from linear TV to CTV apps (a trend ignited by the pandemic), publishers naturally want to make their inventory more attractive to meet demand.
And that demand will be at an all-time high this Q4, as ad costs across Paid Social channels continue to spike and CTV popularity follows the same trajectory. For advertisers the appeal lies in CTV’s rise to fame among audiences of all ages, its relatively lower CPMs, and unrivaled targeting abilities.
Now, YouTube CTV is throwing its hat in the ring, with a slew of new features–and the advertising world cannot wait to tune in. Here’s what’s coming soon:
Audience Guarantees Backed by Nielsen
- Enables buyers to tap into Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings (DAR) to control their exact audience reach.
- Choose a specific age and gender demographic, then pay only for the ad impressions that reach that target audience.
- Compatible with all types of video campaigns and available at no additional cost for advertisers
- Available for Programmatic Guaranteed ads running with a set of publishers on Google Ad Manager in the U.S.
Increased Availability for Advanced Programmatic Guaranteed Features:
- Google audiences for Programmatic Guaranteed available across a variety of exchanges including Google Ad Manager, as well as Xandr and Magnite,
- Can help drive a higher ROI by reaching the highest-intent consumers, as determined by Google.
Consolidated YouTube CTV Workflow:
- Enables advertisers to purchase YouTube CTV ads within Display & Video 360’s insertion order.
- Makes it easier to incorporate YouTube inventory into your broader media mix.
- Will allow for a much more simplified workflow thanks to parameters that minimize technical blockers.
So, just how pivotal are these advancements to the world of Programmatic? Pretty pivotal according to Michael Yip, VP, Programmatic at MuteSix.
“YouTube is a critical piece to the CTV puzzle since it’s the largest video search engine. However, until now it’s been siloed into its own bucket. By increasing their CTV inventory through Google Display and Video 360, the reach will be massive for brands, and CTV can be more seamlessly integrated into their broader media mix, which could consist of other CTV heavyweights like Hulu.”
In addition to reach, the level of targeting coming to brands–a major selling point for CTV and Programmatic in general–will reach new heights. “Since YouTube CTV advertisers will be buying within the same platform, they will have better control over important optimization levers–such as frequency–across the entire media mix.”
And, with control comes confidence–a welcome sentiment amongst brands, as ad cost and data volatility continue to shake up the advertising landscape in a post-iOS 14 world.
“The majority of CTV buys are for awareness,” explains Yip. “Having a guarantee into the demographic that we are reaching under the guidance of Nielsen will provide advertisers with much-needed confidence that they are reaching the right audiences– because it’s not just Google grading their own work anymore.”
With that, Yip advises brands to start strategizing those 15-30 second CTV spots, as they will no-doubt play a role in upper-funnel success this holiday season.
However, he also cautions brands to be patient and not expect Programmatic to work its magic over night.
“While these advancements arrive just in time for the holidays, brands won’t be able to unwrap CTV’s full potential right away. Instead, they should understand that there may not be an immediate conversion, as CTV–much like any effective awareness program–is a longer-term investment, albeit one very much worth making.”
Interested in plugging into the world of CTV and unlocking its potential? Reach out to the MuteSix experts today for a free marketing consultation or to learn more about YouTube CTV, as well as other Programmatic opportunities this Q4 and beyond
