Passed on 22 May, 2025

10. Advertising on video sharing sites

There are loads of ways you can promote your business on video sharing sites. It’s all about reaching an audience who will find your business relevant and engaging.

✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Follow the steps to create and launch video ads.Pick the best ad formats for your audience and goals.

Learning objectives

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

Follow the steps to create and launch video ads.

Pick the best ad formats for your audience and goals.

How to advertise on video sharing sites

With large audiences, engaging with content they care about, video sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitch can be a great place to advertise your business.

The approach

Creating effective ads on video platforms involves understanding your audience, finding the right channels, and crafting engaging content. For example, imagine you’re promoting a cooking blog.

1. Know your audience

The first step is to define your target audience and understand what they like to watch. For a cooking blog, this might include cooking shows, recipe videos, and chef interviews—content that aligns with your readers’ interests.

2. Find relevant channels

Look for video channels that match your audience’s interests, like popular cooking channels or food bloggers. Advertising on these channels helps you reach people who already enjoy similar content, increasing the chances they’ll be interested in your blog.

3. Create your ad

Think about what will capture the attention of cooking enthusiasts. Do you have unique recipes, expert tips, or chef interviews? Use these elements to create an ad that feels relevant and engaging for food lovers.

4. Launch your ad

Once your ad is ready, you can decide where it should appear. You’ll need to choose the placement and format that best suits your message and audience. We’ll cover these options more later in the lesson.

5. Monitor and refine

Set a budget and track your ad’s performance. Try different formats, targeting options, and messaging to see what resonates best. Use what you learn to adjust your approach and keep improving over time.

Check your knowledge

Time for you to check what you have learnt so far.

Question 1 of 1

Justin wants to do more video advertising. He knows his blog audience likes cooking at home, TV shows featuring famous chefs and cooking demo videos. Which 3 keywords should he choose for his ad campaign?

Home cooking

TV chefs

Instructional videos

Cooking videos

Macaroon recipes

TV shows

Show Answer

Show Answer

Almost.‘Home cooking’, ‘TV chefs’, and ‘cooking videos’ best match Justin’s audience. ‘Instructional videos’ and ‘TV shows’ are too broad, while ‘macaroon recipes’ is too specific for a general cooking audience.

Creating ads for video platforms

When advertising on video streaming platforms, choosing the right ad format is key. Your options will vary depending on the platform, so make sure to check what formats are available and how they align with your goals and audience preferences.

Ad formats

If you’re advertising on video platforms, there are a few main types of ads you’ll come across. Each one works a bit differently, so here’s a quick rundown.

Skippable video ads

These are ads that play before, during, or after a video, but viewers can skip them after a few seconds. They’re great if you want to share a longer message because viewers who aren’t interested can just skip, keeping costs down.

Non-skippable video ads

Non-skippable ads are short (usually up to 15 seconds) and need to be watched in full. They’re perfect if you have a strong, concise message you want everyone to see. Shorter versions, called ‘bumper ads’  are only 6 seconds but still make an impact.

Vertical video ads

These are full-screen vertical ads designed for mobile, so they fit naturally in feeds like YouTube Shorts. Since they take up the whole screen, they’re super engaging and work well for capturing attention quickly.

In-feed video ads

In-feed ads look like regular posts in a user’s feed, so they blend in with other content. They’re great for getting clicks because viewers can choose to watch if something catches their eye, like a thumbnail or description that draws them in.

Masthead ads

Masthead ads appear at the very top of the homepage when someone opens the app. They’re highly visible and ideal for major announcements or events where maximum exposure is needed to reach a large audience instantly.

Banner ads

Companion banner ads are static images or simple animations that appear next to your video ad. They’re great for enhancing brand visibility, encouraging engagement, and providing extra information, all without disrupting the video content.

✅ ActivityHere’s a quick research task to help you explore what works—and what doesn’t—in ads on video platforms.Check the items off as you go.Visit some of your favourite channels on YouTube.What types of advertising do you see and where are they displayed?Which types best grab your attention and what types do you ignore?How do they vary in length and how does this affect the content of the ad?

Activity

Here’s a quick research task to help you explore what works—and what doesn’t—in ads on video platforms.

Visit some of your favourite channels on YouTube.

What types of advertising do you see and where are they displayed?

Which types best grab your attention and what types do you ignore?

How do they vary in length and how does this affect the content of the ad?

Download PDF

Download PDF

Check your knowledge

Take a moment to quiz yourself and lock in what you’ve learned.

Question 1 of 1

Match each video ad format to its description.

Vertical video ads

correct

In-feed video ads

correct

Masthead ads

correct

Submit

Submit

Yes.Vertical video ads fit mobile screens perfectly for an immersive experience. In-feed ads blend with content, encouraging clicks via engaging thumbnails. Masthead ads sit at the top of the homepage, offering maximum visibility for major announcements or events.

Lesson complete

Great job!You’ve explored video ad formats and gained the tools to create engaging ads tailored to your audience and goals. Take a moment to reflect on the strategies you’ve learned and how you can apply them to your campaigns for maximum impact.This brings you to the end of thePaid Marketing Channelsmodule. Well done on completing this step in your digital marketing journey. Keep the momentum going by exploring other modules to refine your skills even further.

You’ve explored video ad formats and gained the tools to create engaging ads tailored to your audience and goals. Take a moment to reflect on the strategies you’ve learned and how you can apply them to your campaigns for maximum impact.This brings you to the end of thePaid Marketing Channelsmodule. Well done on completing this step in your digital marketing journey. Keep the momentum going by exploring other modules to refine your skills even further.

Next Path

Reach local customers