YouTube Launches New Shoppable Ads

Need to Know

• YouTube has launched direct response solutions to help brands reach consumers in response to the global shift towards online sales. 
• The new features make videos more shoppable with browsable imagery, use automation to drive conversions with video action campaigns, and help brands better understand attribution with lead generation form integration.
• A Google/Talkshoppe study found that 70% of people say they bought a brand as a result of seeing it on YouTube, prompting the video streaming platform to invest heavily in “video solutions that drive actions.”

Analysis

With nearly 5 billion videos watched on YouTube every day, the streaming platforms integration of direct response marketing solutions will help brands as they shift from brick-and-mortar to digital sales. 

YouTube’s new features focus on four smart solutions; shoppable videos, automated drive conversions, lead gen form integration, and YouTube/Google Ads attribution reporting. 

The most direct solution, the shoppable feature allows brands to convert video ads into virtual storefronts, visually expanding the call to action with best-selling items, driving traffic to specific product pages. 

“To help businesses establish a stronger e-commerce presence, we’re experimenting with a new way to make your actionable video ads more shoppable—complementing your ad with browsable product imagery to inspire the next purchase,” Nicky Rettke, director of product management for YouTube Ads said in a blog post. 

One of the first to test the new features was apparel brand Aerie. Focusing on omnichannel sales the retailer “achieved a 25 percent higher return on ad spend than the previous year,” when using YouTube as a full-funnel sales solution. 

With a reported 1.3 billion people using YouTube, brands ‘opting in’ to the streaming platforms direct marketing solutions are well-positioned in front of consumers ready and willing to purchase. “70% of people say they bought a brand as a result of seeing it on YouTube’s platform,” their recent study revealed. 

YouTube is not the first tech giant shifting its focus to help brands. Recently, Facebook partnered with Shopify to revamp its e-commerce experience, making it easier for small businesses to connect with consumers online. Together they launched branded Facebook Shops, a free tool that helps merchants create customized online storefronts for social platforms Facebook and Instagram.