YouTube is strictly an awareness play, right? Wrong! Meet TrueView for Action ads. These YouTube ads can drive clicks directly from the video. Users are no longer simply watching YouTube videos for entertainment; they are increasingly watching for information and education. With that being said, this new ad type could not come at a better time. Conversions generated by YouTube have been increasing rapidly and are up 150% from 2017.

TrueView for Action allows you to drive more leads and conversions by adding prominent call-to-action buttons, sending the user to your website to complete a conversion. TrueView for Action ads can show as a companion banner (below the content), as a CTA (call-to-action) overlay, or on an auto end screen (after the ad concludes, the CTA button appears). Location extensions are also available, driving clicks from the video for things such as “get directions” and “store hours.” Instead of optimizing for views, YouTube’s ad rotation will optimize for clicks and conversions with this ad type.

TrueView for Action is a game changer for YouTube. Those ROI-focused advertisers who were hesitant to use video campaigns as a tactic will have a great opportunity to test YouTube for their brand. And those who are already using YouTube will have something new to try! Given the shift in the use of YouTube over the years, this is an awesome development that should be tested by all that are using (or want to use) video advertising.