Brands and businesses of all sizes can now create engaging ads on YouTube with their smartphones and tablets by using a newly launched suite of products. YouTube Director aims to make it easier for enterprises to create the content they need with a professional look and feel.
The first new tool is the YouTube Director mobile app, which is available on iOS and features a range of templates, simple editing methods and step-by-step instructions to help users create a video advert complete with text and animation. Brands can then upload the clip and interact with a Google AdWords expert to build an effective advertising campaign.
YouTube used several case studies to illustrate how the new product can benefit business owners. Woody Lovell Jr, the owner of a barber shop in Los Angeles, revealed in a video that he had used the app to broaden his reach on social platforms and increase the visibility of his brand image.
“Mr. Lovell Jr. shot and edited a video ad by himself, uploaded it to YouTube, and worked with an AdWords expert to run a campaign,” YouTube said in a blog post. “As a result, Woody’s business saw an increase in potential customers being able to remember and recognise his ad: his video drove a 73% increase in ad recall among target customers on YouTube, and a 56% lift in brand awareness.”
There is another option for enterprises that don’t want to create ads themselves, as YouTube will send professionals to complete the shooting and editing if they spend a minimum amount of $150 (£105) on ads. This programme, which is officially called YouTube Director Onsite, is currently limited to several city locations in the US, including Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston.
The final new addition is called YouTube Director Automated Video. For businesses that have their own mobile apps, YouTube will create a video ad using the existing content found within these, such as screenshots and logos. This service is available to brands across the globe.
Google recently revealed that the time spent watching videos on YouTube has soared by more than 50 per cent year-on-year.
