YouTube Ads for Beginners

YouTube ads are an amazing way to drive leads, traffic, and attention to your business…

But, only if you get ’em right.

We’ve all seen YouTube ads.

In fact, if you’ve ever been on YouTube, the odds are pretty good that you may have seen a quick ad at some point.

The reason that people are leveraging and starting to use YouTube ads more and more is because they’re providing a real and tangible return on investment.

(For those that are getting it right).

But that’s the trick.

And there’s a pretty big difference between those who are just using YouTube ads and those that are actually profiting from YouTube ads by getting them right.

And that’s what this post is all about.

I’m gonna walk you through my super simple 5-part framework that’s going to allow you to create and script YouTube ads that will lead to more clicks and more conversions…

Essentially more sales and revenue for your business.

If you get these elements right you’ll be able to tap into essentially what is the wild west of advertising right now, using YouTube ads.

Which are still largely underutilized and under-leveraged across many different businesses.

Which means the playing field is wide open for you.


Part 1: SHOCK

What I mean by shock is essentially some form of pattern interrupt.

Something that grabs attention and rocks people out of their seats a little bit.

Now, you want to implement this shock factor in the first 5 seconds of the video.

Because, as we all know, this is where you’re either gonna catch ‘em, or lose ‘em.

Contrary to many other advertising platforms out there, where you may wanna be a little more conservative and stay a little more on brand…

On YouTube it’s okay to get a little more creative and go a little outside the box.

The reason it’s okay to shock (and, in fact, the reason it’s IMPORTANT to shock) and get people’s attention is…

If you don’t get their attention and you don’t get them to watch through that first 5 seconds, well then.

It doesn’t really matter what you say in the rest of the ad.

 

So, front-loading the best value or the catchiest statement, or the hook that’s gonna keep them interested, well, that’s easily the most important part of the entire ad.

Because without it, nothing else matters.

Part 2: Leverage Social Proof

In the first 10 seconds of the ad, we want to leverage social proof quickly, easily, and succinctly.

Now, this can be done in any sort of different way.

But typically, what I like to advise and what I’ve found is most effective (and certainly the most natural)…

Is simply to introduce yourself and then state some sort of big achievement or accomplishment or something that you’ve done.

Essentially what you’re trying to do here is provide some kind of credibility to who you are and why people should listen to you.

So, the goal of the first part of the ad is to shock.

The second part is to provide that social proof and to make sure that people know that you’re an authority on the subject.

And then they’re gonna continue listening to you, so the rest of your message can get delivered.

Part 3: Alphabet Soup

Here, what we’re trying to do is to make a statement similar to:

How to X without Y so you can Z.

I know that sounds confusing, so let me give you a couple examples:

“How to lose weight without exercising, so you can look great in your favorite jeans

“How to create videos without expensive equipment, so you can do marketing on a budget

“How to generate leads without cold-calling, so you can grow your business in an authentic and ethical way

Basically, how to X without Y so you can Z.

Or, how to get the things you want with the things you don’t want, so you can get more of the things you want.

Part 4: Benefits and Results

Now, here’s where we get to the real meat of the ad.

This is where we’ve already got the attention of people, we’ve shown some social proof, we’ve baited them a little more with that alphabet soup

Now it’s time to give ‘em the goods and essentially show them the benefits and results of what ever it is that you’re pitching.

The secret to succeeding with this step lies in the title, being benefits and results.

You don’t want to talk about all the features or logistical parts, or all the tactics, or the tangible stuff.

What you wanna do is sell the dream, sell the vision and sell the story.

You see, when it comes to using video advertising (and YouTube ads in particular), you have a relatively short amount of time to give a whole lot of information.

So, you wanna stick with the stuff that’s actually gonna move the needle in regards to conversion.

And that stuff is story, and emotion, and benefits and results.

And all the things that the people are gonna experience by doing business with you, or by taking action on what ever you’re promoting.

Now, because of the short time you have to really sell the story…

My advice is stick to 3 benefits and results, and do your best to elaborate on them later, once someone’s clicked-through to wherever you’re trying to send them.

Part 5: Call-to-Action

This step is going to take place somewhere around the 60-second mark.

Now it’s time to bring ‘em home and send them where you want them to go.

When it comes to creating a really effective call-to-action, the secret is simply to include it.

And to make it clear, and concise, and direct.

Now is not the time to get fancy and ask for all sorts of things.

When you’re running an ad, you don’t want to ask them to like you on Facebook, follow you on Instagram, or subscribe on YouTube…

Or download your lead magnet, go to your email list, visit your website, or connect with you on LinkedIn…

Nope.

Rather, what you want to do is to send them to just one main place.

The main goal of what ever it is you’re trying to sell.

If you’re selling something directly, then send them to the sales page.

If you’re offering a lead magnet in exchange for their email address, then send them to the landing page.

And if you’re asking them to book a time on your calendar?

Well then send them directly to your calendar.

Don’t get creative; don’t confuse them.

So that’s the whole script.

But don’t go just yet, ‘cause I’ve got 4 more tips that are gonna help take your YouTube ads to the next level:

Tip #1: Make sure you’ve got the right offer when you’re making your ad.

So, if you’re targeting cold traffic, offer a lead magnet or something that’s really low-commitment.

Simply get their email address so you can build a relationship later.

If you’re targeting warm traffic on the other hand (people that already know who you are) …

Then it’s okay to up the anti a little bit and ask for a sale.

So, don’t be afraid to send them to the sales page.

Tip #2: Get your targeting right.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Google AdWords platform, which is where you’ll be creating your YouTube ads…

You’re gonna wanna spend some time there.

If you’ve never run a YouTube ad before, then by far the easiest and lowest hanging fruit is some kind of warm audience.

Whether it’s a customer list, an email list, or if you’ve got some YouTube videos already leveraged and on the platform.

You can create an audience from people who have watched those videos before.

Tip #3: Make sure to test more than one video ad.

You don’t want to put all your eggs in one video basket, ‘cause you never know which one’s gonna knock it outta the park…

And which one’s gonna be a loser.

As a bonus tip to these… already bonus tips…

What I’ve found is that sometimes really highly polished, professional videos don’t actually perform as well as that simple iPhone video.

So again, don’t be afraid to test, test and test some more.

The final thing to take away is that the video ad formula that we’ve just gone through is based off using something around a 60-second video.

Which is gonna fit and work really well across a number of different social platforms.

But, don’t be afraid to get creative and try all sorts of different lights to see what works best for your message, your business, and your market.

The take-home point is this:

If you’re not already using YouTube ads for your business, then the time to start is now.

So, stick to the script, follow the tips and you’ll be off and running, generating more leads, attention and traffic to your business in no time.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Adam Erhart, Marketing Strategist.

My job is to show you the exact triggers and messages that make your business irresistible to clients. When you get this right, you’ll:

1) Attract more (and better) clients 2) Increase sales and revenue (without feeling “salesy”), and 3) Grow your business—without burning out.

If you want to GROW your business? Click here.

If you want to START a business? Click here.

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