Video ads are an excellent way to connect with your audience and promote your business. With Google Ads, you can easily create video campaigns to reach people on YouTube, Google TV, and partner sites. These campaigns help companies attract customers and achieve specific goals like sales or brand awareness.

So, can you have videos on Google Ads? Absolutely! Google Ads supports video campaigns that are easy to set up and customize to suit your needs. Whether you want to build awareness or drive more conversions, video ads are a powerful tool for making a lasting impression.

This guide will show you how to create and optimize video campaigns in Google Ads. Following these steps will teach you how to use video ads effectively and grow your business.

Why Use Videos in Google Ads?

Video ads have become an essential part of online marketing because they capture attention and engage audiences better than text or static ads. With Google Ads, video campaigns help businesses reach more people and deliver messages in a way that’s both memorable and effective.

Key Advantages of Video Ads

• Higher Engagement: Videos combine visuals, audio, and movement to attract attention and keep viewers engaged. Whether it’s a skippable YouTube ad or a quick bumper ad, video content significantly boosts interaction rates.

• Mobile-First Approach: Video ads are designed to capture attention in today’s mobile-driven world. With most users accessing content on their smartphones, video ads adapt seamlessly to mobile viewing habits, ensuring a smooth and engaging experience across devices.

• Visual Storytelling: Video ads allow you to tell your brand’s story creatively and compellingly. By combining visuals and sound, you can leave a lasting impression and improve brand recall.

Video campaigns in Google Ads help businesses achieve key goals like driving traffic, boosting sales, or increasing brand awareness. Their ability to connect with audiences makes them a powerful tool in any marketing strategy.

Now that we’ve explored why video ads are so effective, let's take a closer look at the types of video campaigns you can run in Google Ads and how they align with your business goals.

Video Campaigns and Ad Formats in Google Ads

Google Ads offers a range of video campaign types and ad formats, each designed to help businesses achieve specific goals, such as driving sales, increasing website traffic, or building brand awareness. Here’s an overview of the video campaign options and the ad formats available to maximize their effectiveness.

Types of Video Campaigns

• Video Action Campaigns: Video action campaigns are a simple, cost-effective way to drive conversions. These campaigns combine inventory from YouTube, Google video partners, and other sources, allowing you to reach new customers and improve performance. With automated bidding and placements, they optimize for the lowest cost per acquisition (CPA), making them ideal for scaling campaigns easily across mobile, desktop, and TV devices.

• Performance Max Campaigns: These campaigns run ads across multiple Google platforms, including YouTube, Search, and Display. They are perfect for businesses seeking broad reach and diversified ad placements.

• App Campaigns: Tailored to promote mobile apps and encourage users to download or engage with them. They run on YouTube, Google Play, and the Display Network.

Video Ad Formats

Google Ads provides various video ad formats to suit different marketing objectives and audience preferences:

• Skippable In-Stream Ads:

  • Appear before, during, or after videos.

  • Viewers can skip after 5 seconds, making it a flexible option for engagement.

  • Best for driving website visits or encouraging purchases.

• Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads:

  • Force viewers to watch the full message (15 seconds or less).

  • Effective for delivering a complete brand story or ensuring the message is seen.

• In-Feed Video Ads:

  • Appear in YouTube search results, alongside related videos, or on the YouTube homepage.

  • Ideal for encouraging users to click and watch a specific video.

• Bumper Ads:

  • Short, non-skippable ads (6 seconds or less).

  • Great for boosting brand awareness with concise, memorable messages.

  • Bumper ads are shorter (6 seconds) for quick, impactful messaging, while non-skippable in-stream ads last up to 15 seconds to deliver more detailed stories.

• YouTube Shorts Ads:

  • Optimized for mobile, these ads appear between YouTube Shorts.

  • Excellent for capturing attention in a fast-paced, mobile-first environment.

• Masthead Ads:

  • High-visibility ads shown on YouTube’s homepage.

  • Ideal for product launches or reaching a massive audience in a short time.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Set Up a Video Campaign

Creating a video campaign in Google Ads is straightforward and can help you achieve your marketing goals effectively. Follow these steps to set up your first campaign and start reaching your audience with engaging video ads.

Step 1: Choose Your Campaign Goal

Your campaign goal determines the focus of your ads and guides Google’s AI to optimize performance. Here are the most common goals:

• Sales: Drive purchases directly from your website or store.

• Website Traffic: Attract visitors to your landing page or site.

• Brand Awareness: Increase visibility and recognition of your brand.

Selecting the right goal is crucial as it influences the available campaign subtypes and bidding strategies.

Step 2: Select the Campaign Type and Subtype

Once you’ve chosen your goal, pick the campaign type and subtype:

• Campaign Type: Select “Video” to access Google Ads’ video campaign features.

• Subtypes:

  • Video Reach: Maximize exposure with skippable or non-skippable in-stream ads.

  • Drive Conversions: Focus on action-oriented ads to boost sales or leads.

  • Ad Sequences: Tell a cohesive story using a series of videos.

Each subtype offers unique features tailored to specific objectives.

Step 3: Set Your Budget and Bidding Strategy

Decide how much you’re willing to spend and how you want Google to allocate your budget:

• Budget Options:

  • Daily Budget: Average amount spent per day.

  • Campaign Total Budget: Total budget for the entire campaign duration.

• Bidding Strategies:

  • Target CPA (Cost per Acquisition): Optimize for conversions within a set cost.

  • Maximize Conversions: Focus on getting as many conversions as possible within the budget.

💡Pro Tip: For new campaigns, start with a budget that aligns with your CPA or expected conversion value to allow Google’s AI to optimize effectively.

Step 4: Define Targeting Parameters

Specify who you want to see your ads:

• Geographic Location: Target specific regions, cities, or countries.

• Demographics: Set preferences for age, gender, parental status, and household income.

• Languages: Ensure your ads are shown to users who understand the language of your content.

• Audience Segmentation: Target by interests, behaviors, or custom audience lists.

Well-defined targeting ensures your ads reach the right viewers, maximizing engagement and ROI.

Step 5: Add Video Assets and Create Your Ads

Use compelling video content to capture attention and drive action:

• Add Video Assets:

  • You can link videos published on your YouTube channel directly to your Google Ads account.

  • Use Google Ads’ Asset Library to assemble simple video ads from existing image and text assets.

  • If the video hasn’t been uploaded yet, you can upload it through YouTube Studio, making it accessible in your Google Ads account.

    • You can also use videos from partners or agencies by linking them from their YouTube channels with the necessary permissions.

      
      

• Creative Elements:

  • Headlines: Short and impactful text that highlights your product or offer.

  • Call-to-action (CTA): Use clear directives like “Shop Now” or “Learn More” to encourage users to take action.

  • Companion Banners: Add static images to complement your video ad and enhance visibility.

Google’s AI will test various combinations of your assets to find the most effective ones for your audience.

Step 6: Finalize and Launch Your Campaign

Before going live, review your campaign settings:

• Start and End Dates: Schedule your campaign for specific durations, especially for seasonal promotions.

• Settings Review: Double-check targeting, budget, and creative assets to ensure everything aligns with your goals.

• Launch: Once satisfied, submit your campaign for review. Google typically approves ads within 24 hours.

With your campaign live, monitoring and optimizing performance to achieve the best results is essential. Let’s explore tips to ensure your video ads perform at their peak.

Tips to Optimize Video Campaigns

Running a video campaign is just the beginning. To ensure your ads deliver maximum impact, you must monitor, refine, and optimize every aspect of your campaign. Here are some actionable tips for getting the best results from your video ads.

1. A/B Testing for Better Performance

Testing is key to identifying what resonates most with your audience. Use A/B testing to experiment with:

• Creative Assets: Compare different headlines, video styles, or calls to action to see what drives more engagement.

• Targeting Options: To find the most responsive groups, test audience segments based on demographics, behaviors, or interests.

💡Pro Tip: Focus on one element at a time to isolate the variable driving success.

2. Use Vertical-Friendly Video Assets

With mobile usage dominating video consumption, vertical videos are a must-have for any campaign. These mobile-optimized assets provide a full-screen experience and capture attention on platforms like YouTube Shorts and Google video partners.

Vertical videos can lead to:

• Higher Engagement: Especially on mobile-first platforms.

• Increased Conversions: A more immersive experience often translates to better results.

3. Optimize Your Budget and Track Conversions

A well-planned budget ensures your campaign runs smoothly and reaches its full potential:

• Set Realistic Budgets: Start with a daily or campaign total budget that aligns with your CPA or conversion goals.

• Track Conversions: Use Google’s conversion tracking tools to monitor which ads are driving results and refine your approach accordingly.

Regular monitoring helps avoid wasted spend and ensures every dollar contributes to your campaign objectives.

This blog explored how to set up, manage, and optimize video campaigns in Google Ads to meet your business goals. Let’s summarize the key takeaways and why video campaigns are vital for your success.

Conclusion

Video campaigns in Google Ads offer a powerful way to engage your audience, tell your brand story, and drive meaningful results. This blog has covered everything from whether videos can be used on Google Ads to creating, optimizing, and maximizing the impact of your video campaigns. With various ad formats and tools available, Google Ads provides the flexibility to align your campaigns with your business goals, whether it’s boosting sales, increasing traffic, or building brand awareness.

For businesses looking to get even more out of their video campaigns, GoMarble is here to help. As an AI-driven performance marketing agency, GoMarble combines advanced technology with expert insights to deliver high-performing Google Ads campaigns.

Take your video advertising to the next level. Contact GoMarble today, and let us help you create campaigns that drive engagement, maximize ROAS, and profitably scale your business.