YouTube adds more formats for Video Reach Campaigns

VRCs now include in-feed and shorts ads, offering marketers a more diverse and effective approach for reaching their target audience.

Google has rolled out additional formats for Video Reach Campaigns (VRCs) for Efficient Reach on YouTube.

VRCs can now be scaled to in-feed and shorts, as well as in-stream ads, providing marketers with a more diversified and effective approach to reaching their target audience with a single campaign.

Leveraging its machine learning technology, Google then identifies the most effective combination of ads to serve for maximum reach and efficiency.

Why we care. Serving different ad formats in a single campaign broadens audience reach during prime conversion moments. With AI handling ad format decisions, marketers can focus more on strategic tasks, removing guesswork and optimizing their efforts.

What are video reach campaigns? Launched in 2019, VRCs enable advertisers to upload a range of ad types, including six-second bumper ads, skippable in-stream ads, and non-skippable in-stream ads, within a single campaign. Google’s machine learning algorithm autonomously then determines the optimal combination of these YouTube ad formats, facilitating broad audience reach at scale.

With VRCs, there are two options for reaching your target audience:

• Efficient reach: This lets you reach more users cost-effectively by using bumper ads, skippable in-stream ads, or a combination of both in a single campaign.
• Target frequency: This enables you to convey your complete message to users through non-skippable in-stream ads, skippable in-stream ads, and bumper ads.

What are in-feed ads? In-feed video ads serve your campaigns alongside YouTube content that is relevant to your target audience. These ads show up in YouTube search results, the “watch next” section on YouTube, and the Home feed in the YouTube app.

What are Shorts ads? Shorts ads are skippable video or image ads that appear between Shorts in the Shorts Feed on YouTube.

What are In-Stream ads? In-stream ads are campaigns that play before, during, or after other videos on YouTube and websites and apps on Google video partners. There are two types of in-stream ads:

• Skippable: After five seconds, the viewer has the option to skip the ad and continue watching the video.
• Non-skippable: With videos between 6 and 15 seconds, non-skippable ads allow you to reach viewers with your entire message.

What Google is saying. Commenting on the new formats for VRCs, a Google spokesperson said in a statement:

• “People are engaging with YouTube in new ways, from exploring Shorts on their mobile devices to browsing for content on their TV screens. This evolving landscape presents brands with more opportunities to connect with their target audience on the platform.”
• “Multiformat ads paired with the power of Google AI deliver more reach and efficiency.”

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Deep dive. Read our guide on how to unlock high impact at minimal cost for YouTube Ads by Search Engine Land contributor and YouTube ads expert Cory Henke for more information.