When Google purchased YouTube for $1.65bn, most suspected its videos soon start to include some form of advertising. Since then, many have attempted to find format that actually works well for the medium. InVideo overlay ads have been one of Google’s most successful attempts. They appear at the bottom of the video while you are watching. If someone clicks on one of your ads, the video is paused and the viewer is taken to the advertiser’s landing page in a new browser window.
While InVideo ads have been in use for some time, until recently only big advertisers with big budgets and the right tools were able to create them. A new feature added to Google’s Display Ad Builder tool has now made it possible for small businesses to create their own professional-looking overlay ads.
Those who use image ads will most likely already be very familiar with this tool, which is available through AdWords advertising. The tool is intended to help advertisers create ads in minutes, enabling small business owners to use the same kinds of video inlays as larger companies. Simply select a template from one of the dozens available, customize it, and add your message.
For the first time, small businesses are able to easily promote themselves to YouTube without prohibitively large investments of time or money. This opens up massive new markets for them and represents a huge step forward for online advertising.
Some worry that the monetization of this new medium will eventually lead to “ad blindness” and turn viewers off. Will too many ads embedded in the videos we watch diminish the YouTube experience and drive traffic away?
To be sure, there are uncertainties about the market, but there is no doubt that the simplicity and accessibility of the current setup make InVideo overlay ads an attractive option for businesses that want to get their products in front of a large online audience.
Diversification is key. Putting all of your eggs in the InVideo basket may not be advisable for most businesses. However, the innovation that has led to this moment in marketing history has afforded an opportunity that you should not miss.
