When it comes to online advertising, YouTube is often overlooked. However, with over two billion monthly active users and a growing number of people watching videos on the site every day, it's definitely worth considering for your marketing efforts.
This post discusses the different types of ads, the cost of YouTube ads, and the factors that affect the price. We also look at the return on investment (ROI) of these ads and help you decide if they're worth paying for.
Important points
- Types of YouTube ad formats
- YouTube ads cost
- Several price models to choose from
- ROI of YouTube ads
- How to reduce YouTube ad costs
- A quick look at a campaign setup
- our snack
YouTube ad formats
Before we dive into YouTube ad pricing, let's quickly familiarize ourselves with the main types of ads that the service offers.
There are six different types of YouTube ads: display, overlay, skippable, non-skippable, bumper, and sponsored cards.
show ads
Image ads are the most common type of YouTube advertising. They appear as a rectangular banner at the top or bottom of the video and may or may not be omitted.
overlay ads
You've probably seen these ads before. They appear on top of the video content itself and are semi-transparent. This is a popular advertising platform as it is very effective in attracting attention without being too distracting or annoying to viewers.
skippable ads
As the name suggests, skippable ads can be skipped after a certain period of time. They typically appear before or during the video and must be viewed for at least six seconds to count as an impression.
Non-skippable ads
This is the opposite of skippable ads. As the name suggests, they cannot be skipped and must be viewed in their entirety before the video content is played. They are also usually longer than skippable ads, typically lasting 15-30 seconds.
bumper ads
Bumper ads are short, non-skippable ads that last only six seconds. They're perfect when you want to get your message across quickly without taking up too much of the viewer's time.
sponsored maps
These are interactive maps that appear in the bottom right corner of the videos and can be clicked on to learn more about the product or service being promoted.
Worth knowing: YouTube pre-roll ads
Pre-roll ads are the most common type of YouTube ads and appear before the video starts playing. They can be skippable or non-skippable and typically last between 15 and 30 seconds.
How much do YouTube ads cost?
YouTube ad costs depend on several factors, including the type of ad, the targeting options you choose, and whether you use CPC or CPV bidding.
In general, YouTube ads cost between $0.01 and $0.03 per view, with an average CPM (cost per thousand impressions) of around3,53 $.
However, these prices can vary significantly depending on your audience, the type of ad you're running, and other factors.
For example, if you're targeting a specific audience niche, you may see higher CPMs due to the smaller pool of potential viewers. If you run a skippable ad (which allows viewers to skip your ad after five seconds), you can also expect a lower CPM since not everyone will see your entire ad.
The bottom line is that there is no single answer to YouTube pricing. The best way to determine how much to spend is to experiment with different targeting options and offer types until you find what works best for your business.
What determines YouTube advertising costs
What determines how much YouTube advertising costs is influenced by a few different factors. The most important thing is your audience: who you want to reach with your ad and where they are. Prices can also vary depending on the format of your ad, whether or not it's skippable, and the length of the video.
In general, here are some rough estimates of what you can expect with pay-per-view (CPV) from YouTube ads:
- Display ads: $0.05 - $0.30
- Overlay Ads: $0.15 - $0.30
- Skippable Ads: $0.20 - $0.35
- Non-skippable ads: $0.30 - $0.45
- Bumper Ads: $0.35 - $0.70
- Sponsored Cards: $0.50 - $0.70
Of course, these are just estimates and your actual cost may be higher or lower depending on the lineup and other factors.
YouTube Ad Pricing Models
There are two main pricing models for YouTube ads: cost per view (CPV) and cost per click (CPC). With CPV, you pay every time someone views your ad for at least 30 seconds or until the end of the video, whichever comes first. CPC means that you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
What is YouTube's CPM for ads?
In addition to CPV and CPC, you can also see pricing based on cost per 1,000 views (CPM). CPM means that you pay for every thousand views of your ad, regardless of whether someone clicks on it.
YouTube's average CPM rates can vary by video category, with categories costing more than others on average. For example, the average CPM for beauty videos is $11.20, while the average CPM for tech videos is just $0.80 (more on that below).
YouTube CPM Rates by Category
The average CPM rate for YouTube is around $11.20 for beauty videos and $0.80 for technology videos. However, these prices can vary significantly depending on your target audience and other factors.
Here are some average CPM rates by video category:

As you can see, some categories cost more to advertise than others. This is because certain categories are more competitive than others, which drives up prices.
Which pricing model is right for you?
The best way to determine which pricing model is right for you is to try both options and see which gives you the best results. CPC will be a more efficient use of your budget for most businesses, since viewers are more likely to click on an ad if they are interested in learning more about it.
However, there are some cases where CPV may be a better option. For example, if you are running a brand awareness campaign or targeting avery specialized public, CPV may be more effective because viewers are less likely to click on an ad they aren't interested in.
ROI of YouTube ads: how to measure success
The best way to measure the success of your YouTube ad campaign is to look at your return on investment (ROI). Simply divide your total cost by the number of conversions generated to calculate ROI. For example, if you spent $500 on ads and generated 50 sales, your ROI would be $500/$50, or $0.01 per view.
Create a tracking pixel and add it to your website to get started. This allows you to track how many visitors come to your website from your ad and if they make a purchase. You can also use Google Analytics to track conversions from YouTube ads.
Once you have this data, you can experiment with different targeting options and bid types to see which one gives you the best results.
YouTube Ad Retargeting
Another great way to increase the ROI of your YouTube ad campaign is to use retargeting. Retargeting allows you to show your ads to people who have already visited your website. This is a great way to reach your target audience and increase conversions.
There are several types of retargeting available on YouTube, including:
- Standard remarketing: Show your ad to people who have visited your website or watched one of your videos
- Dynamic remarketing- Shows users personalized ads based on what they've seen on your site
- Mobile app remarketing: Targets users who have one of your apps installed
- Customer Match: targets customers who have already been uploaded to the Google customer list
To start retargeting, simply create a new campaign and select it.remarketingPossibility. From there, you can choose what type of retargeting you want to use.
What are some tips to reduce YouTube ad costs?
- Try using a longer video instead of a shorter one; this will help lower your CPM rates.
- Make sure your videos are high-quality and informative – viewers are more likely to click on an ad if they are interested in the content.
- Experiment with different targeting options and bid types to see which gives you the best results.
- Use retargeting to reach more of your audience
- Monitor your return on investment (ROI) to measure the success of your campaign
YouTube Ads Tutorial: How to set up a campaign
Now that you know everything you need to know about YouTube ad pricing, it's time to learn how to set up your campaign. Fortunately, setting up a YouTube ad campaign is relatively easy and only takes a few minutes.
First, sign in to your Google Ads account and clickThe bellTab Then click on the+Button to create a new campaign. then selectVideoas the type of campaign and choose your targeting options.
Once you've done that, you need to create your ad. To do this, click on theAds and extensionstouch and selectnew announcement. From there, you can choose from a variety of ad formats, including in-stream and discovery ads.
Once you've created your ad, you can start bidding. You can bid manually or let Google bid for you automatically. If you're new to YouTube advertising, it's best to let Google automatically bid for your ad since they have a lot of experience with this kind of thing.
And that is! Now you're ready to launch your first YouTube ad campaign. Just remember to keep your budget and ROI in mind to make sure you get the most out of your investment.
Is YouTube advertising worth paying for?: Our conclusion
This question is difficult to answer as it depends on several factors including your budget, target audience, and goals. However, if you want to reach a large audience with your message and generate more leads or sales, it may be worth paying for YouTube ads.
To ensure you get the most out of your investment, be sure to keep track of your ROI and keep a close eye on your budget. This is how you can determine how valuable these campaigns are to your business.
frequent questions
What are the common mistakes advertisers make with YouTube ads?
- Not tracking return on investment (ROI).
- Not closely monitoring your budget
- Don't experiment with different targeting options
- Don't use redirection
What is the difference between in-stream and discovery ads?
In-stream ads are video ads that play before, during, or after other videos on YouTube. Discovery ads are video ads that appear on the YouTube home page or in search results.