If there’s one thing that’s most annoying when using YouTube, it’s the constant display of ads throughout the day, not just once or twice, but even three and more times. Imagine being entangled with this information again and again. Will you patronize the advertised product or service? Most likely not.
That’s why YouTube has finally taken this step, giving brands more control over how often their ads appear in front of users. This week, it launched the “YouTube Frequency” tool to complement Google’s display and video 360 ad frequency tool that it launched in February:
Learn More:
- https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/display-video-360/
- https://blog.google/products/marketingplatform/360/dv360-frequency-ctv/
“You can now supplement your reach by proactively setting weekly frequency goals — a solution only YouTube can offer,” YouTube said in a blog post. “Combined with our unparalleled audience reach and leading machine learning capabilities, advertisers will now be able to optimize the number of times viewers see their ads in a week. Not only does this mean more efficient spending, but critically, a better experience for viewers .”
The Display & Video 360 tool primarily targets ad campaigns for various smart TV apps, such as YouTube and Hulu apps. However, with the introduction of YouTube Frequency, brands will have a better understanding of the number of ads entering the YouTube Smart TV app and YouTube mobile and desktop apps.
“In our recent partnership with Discovery+, we ran a YouTube campaign with frequency targeting to determine the best frequency levels to drive awareness,” YouTube added. “Discovery has seen up to two times the absolute visibility boost compared to past events, at a similar cost compared to non-frequency-optimized events. This industry-first will pave the way for an industry-wide standard in frequency management.”
This new tool has a big impact on both viewers and advertisers, and for the former, it could mean a more comfortable viewing experience on YouTube with fewer annoying ads to see. For brands, moderation in ad frequency means some cost savings by ensuring that ads are not viewed repeatedly by the same group of people.
It’s important to note, however, that while the capabilities of the new tool look impressive, its implementation will still depend on brands and advertisers to spend their money reasonably on advertising.