Google is giving advertisers more ways to market, expanding its video ad extensions and measurement options, the company announced at New York’s Advertising Week.
Leaning into the global appetite for online video, Google will be increasing the number of ad “extensions” on its YouTube platform. The extensions allow users to “take action” by going beyond the already existing location and access “lower-funnel actions” such as finding a movie showtime, downloading an app, viewing a menu or booking a trip.
According to the tech giant, telco Vodafone, restaurant chain Chilli’s, entertainment company 20th Century Fox, meditation app Headspace and beauty giant Maybelline have begun using extensions for video ads on mobile.
Speaking at Ad Week, Thygesen Allan Thygesen, Google Americas president, said that “when people can count on brands, brands can count on growth,” adding that more than 70% of all consumer journeys involve Google search – 80% with YouTube.
In addition to extensions, Google also announced a partnership with market research company IRI to boost its Brand Lift measurement tool, which goes beyond standard metrics such as watch time, views, likes and shares to include the impact an ad has on brand awareness, ad recall and purchase intent.
Initially launched in 2013, the new expansion also includes two new metrics: “lifted users” (how many users were influenced by an ad) and “cost-per-lifted-user” (to gauge effectiveness and cost-efficiency of an ad). The stats will now be reported alongside other metrics on Google Ads or Display & Video 360 platforms. Google will also now send Brand Lift surveys to users continuously throughout the campaign in order to show brands how its video ads are influencing users as the campaign unfolds.
The tech giant also announced an increased investment in its Google Measurement Partner program, first launched in July. Now, Oracle Data Cloud, Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) and CPG advertisers will have the ability to use IRI’s tools to measure their YouTube media.
“People expect you to provide transparency and choice and you need to make sure your partners hold the same high standards as you,” Thygesen said.
