Wavo Labs: This series shares the results of our music marketing experiments and how they inform artist media strategy.

What We Tested

Google Ads makes it possible for music marketers to drive attributable video views on YouTube. 

In this test, we compared the value of two popular types of YouTube ads: 

• Skippable in-stream ads are ads that play before, during, or after other videos. After 5 seconds, the viewer has an option to skip the ad.

• In-feed video ads consist of a thumbnail image from your video with some text. While the exact size and appearance of the ad may vary depending on where it appears, in-feed video ads always invite people to click to watch the video. 

The Results

Our data revealed that skippable in-stream ads on Youtube drive 3.2 times more views per dollar and are nearly 25x more likely to convert impressions into views when compared to in-feed video ads.

Meanwhile, we found that in-feed video ads deliver 8.32x more impressions per dollar relative to skippable in-stream ads on YouTube.

The Takeaway

Skippable in-stream is the Youtube ad format that works best if your goal is to accelerate public-facing views. For clients with a music video views business objective, we recommend skippable in-stream ads.

In-feed video ads are most suited for clients with a broad awareness objective. This ad format serves impressions most cost effectively and allows music marketers to reach a broader audience.

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