Arena

YouTube Ads

Streaming Video

Unlike other highly-trafficked social media platforms, YouTube is centered around video consumption, and thus is a natural fit for ad campaigns with quality video content. Campaigns are run through Google Ads (the ad platform that also houses Google Search and Google Display) and benefit from Google’s wealth of data on users. YouTube also has a variety of inventory types at different price points, from short, affordable, non-skippable “bumper” ads (6 seconds or less), to more general non-skippable ads that are 15 seconds or less, to skippable ads of any length.

Skill Level Needed to Buy Ads

Some Expertise Required

Typically Managed By

Communications & Digital Staff, Ad Agencies

Resources

Who Is It For

Organizations or campaigns that want to get their quality video content in front of users who are likely to watch.

Use Cases

A campaign with a small digital budget might use YouTube ads to show short bumper ads to users in their area to increase name ID.
A campaign with a mid-sized digital budget might use YouTube ads to feature their candidate to-camera making a donation call to action to find new donors.
A campaign with a large digital budget might run 15-second persuasive videos to users in non-skippable inventory.

Strengths

High potential reach
Unskippable ad options allow you to ensure that voters who typically tune out political messaging are still exposed to your message.
Short ad options (6 seconds) can be quite cost-efficient
Accessible testing tools like Brand Lift are great for campaigns that have high enough budgets

Drawbacks

Limited targeting capabilities for political advertisers
Google Ads’ unintuitive user interface can be difficult to get used to

US Political Ad Policies

Google’s political ad policy covers ads about federal elections, state-level elections, federal or state level political parties, or state-level ballot measure, initiative, or propositions. Google’s political ad policy does not extend to news content or ads for products or services, including promotional political merchandise like t-shirts.

In order to run political ads, Google requires that advertisers go through a simple verification process by filling out a form on their site, and they use that information to add a “paid for by” disclaimer onto an ad. The verification process takes 3-5 days.

Additionally, Google restricts the ways that political advertisers can target their ad campaigns. For more, see the targeting section.

All political ads and ad spending are publicly available in Google’s Transparency Report.

Common Goals

Acquisition, including both fundraising and list building
Awareness
Persuasion
Mobilization

Available Creative Formats

Videos (6s, 15s, 30s, 60s, 60s+)

Average Costs

Typical pricing model: CPM
Bumper ads: $6-12+ CPM
Skippable ads: $12-24+ CPM
Non-Skippable ads: $18-30+ CPM

Notable Targeting Capablities

Demographic targeting
Geotargeting
Contextual targeting
Behavioral targeting*
Retargeting*
Custom list audience*
Lookalike audience*

*Advertisers who do not fall under the political advertising policy are able to access the starred targeting options.

The Digital Ads Playbook is produced by ACRONYM+ and powered by Arena.

We need your support.

Republicans have spent decades cultivating talent and investing for the long run, and right now we’re paying the price. Republicans control 30 state legislatures, 28 governors mansions, and are just a few seats away from regaining control of Congress. Together with an activist Supreme Court, they’re enacting policies that turn back progress on everything from abortion to voting rights to climate change.

Arena is building a new generation of political leaders who will lead the fight to save our democracy and build progressive power for the long run. It’s going to take all of us to make change. Join us in this work.

Paid for by Arena Summit, a section 501(c)(4) organization, and Arena PAC.

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Arena

Arena

YouTube Ads

Skill Level Needed to Buy Ads

Typically Managed By

Resources

Who Is It For

Use Cases

Strengths

Drawbacks

US Political Ad Policies

Common Goals

Available Creative Formats

Average Costs

Notable Targeting Capablities

We need your support.

Thanks for checking out our paid media assessment.

Stay up to date with news and resources from the Arena community

Stay up to date with news and resources from the Arena community