YouTube ABCDs: Video ad best practices - Think with Google Skip to content person Hi, Manage your Google account Show more accounts Hide more accounts add Add another account logout Sign out of all accounts add Add account logout Sign out add Create new Google Ads account More business products from Google Google Ads Merchant Center Google Business Profile Google Analytics Manage your site content preferences Marketing profile settings Privacy Policy · Terms of Service Access your Google accounts in one place. Sign in with Google Want to create a new Google Ads account? You're about to create a new Google Ads account. You can create multiple campaigns in the same account without creating a new account. Cancel Create New Account Think with Google Overview Consumer Insights Search & Video AI Excellence Future of Marketing Measurement search search close Where to start? 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Cancel Create New Account Sign in with Google Think with Google Think with Google Consumer Insights Search & Video AI Excellence Future of Marketing Measurement search Overview Consumer Insights Search & Video AI Excellence Future of Marketing Measurement Start with foundations Business essentials Build your presence online Merchant Center Help shoppers discover and buy your products Google Business Profile List your business on Search and Maps Start advertising Overview Explore all that Google Ads has to offer How it works Create, set up, and launch a campaign Meet your goals Find solutions to meet your advertising goal Cost Get the most out of your budget Privacy Drive performance with privacy-centric solutions Create ads Performance Max Multiply conversions across Google channels YouTube Ads Reach and build connections with engaged viewers Search Reach people searching for the products or services you offer Demand Gen Create and convert new customer demand Display Promote your business where people browse online Local Services Ads Attract more local customers View all Ad tools Manager Accounts Manage multiple ads accounts Keyword Planner Optimise with the right keyword Google Ads Editor Quickly and easily edit campaigns at scale Google Ads Mobile App Track your campaign anywhere in real-time Reach Planner Customise your YouTube media strategy View all No-cost Solutions Google Analytics Understand your website traffic Merchant Center Help shoppers discover and buy your product Google Business Profile Get your business on Google Expertise Think with Google Explore the latest insights and marketing strategies Accelerate with Google Get a personalised marketing strategy and learning plan Partners Become a partner Gain training, insights, and rewards Work with a partner Get expert guidance for your campaign Help Get expert support Contact us for support with Google Ads Get help Browse help topics Understanding the ABCDs of effective creative on YouTube Ariane Le Port April 2022 · 2 min read Social Module Share Copy link × What do ads that drive results on YouTube have in common? This question inspired a collaboration with Ipsos, and the involvement of two independent reviewers, Nielsen and Kantar, to find out. What emerged is a set of YouTube principles demonstrated across video ads that worked effectively for brands. We call these principles the ABCDs. Crafting a successful ad Making an ad involves many decisions: some big, some small. This talent or that talent? Cut here or there? By factoring four simple principles into each decision, your work is more likely to achieve your marketing goals. The ABCD principles are not a formula for generating creative ideas. But research, like that from NCSolutions, proves that creative — everything from concept to execution — is the No. 1 driver of campaign effectiveness and ROI. In other words, creative execution is just as important as the idea itself. So once you have that big idea, the ABCDs can help you bring it to life on YouTube in the most powerful way. On average, the ABCDs deliver a 30% lift in short-term sales likelihood and a 17% lift in long-term brand contribution.1 Applying the ABCDs Imagine you’re on a creative team tasked with producing an ad for a new line of fish-flavored dog treats. Your concept was approved, and now it’s time to put together a storyboard. As we go through the ABCDs, we’ll explore how we might improve our ad at this early stage of execution. A = Attention: Hook the viewer Start big! Successful ads work hard to earn engagement right from the get-go. Of course, there are many ways to do this. You can start your ad in the middle of the action, or open with a close-up. Audio inputs like music, voice-over, and sound effects create a rich, sensory experience that helps people pay attention. Think about color and contrast to ensure your visuals are bright and strong. Play around with bold imagery at the start of your ad to create an attention-grabbing opening. Below are some ideas that you and the Fishos team might explore. B = Branding: Brand early, often, and richly Whether with product shots, pack shots, in situ branding, graphic elements, voice-overs, or musical treatments, work your brand identity into the story. YouTube is almost entirely a sound-on experience, so take advantage of the multisensory aspect of your medium to get more impact. Below are three different ways to ensure your brand is present. C = Connection: Help people think or feel something Don’t think of your viewer as passive. Work to educate, inspire, or entertain them. Humanize your story to help them relate. Lean into emotional levers with storytelling techniques, such as humor or surprise. But avoid doing too much in your ad. Focus the message as you make your connection. D = Direction: Ask them to take action Finally, with clear and simple instructions on what to do next, people will be more likely to respond to your ad the way you want. A written call to action, graphics, audio, or even a scene from your story can help guide them. Here are some ways to turn engaged viewers into active customers. Now compare the revised ABCDs version of the ad with the earlier version. Which one is more compelling? Watch the video Link to YouTube Video The Fishos ad before and after the ABCD principles are applied, as the storyboard comes to life. There’s a happy ending in both versions: The dog in a shark costume gets a Fishos treat. Push the form further with objective-driven ABCDs Simply following these general YouTube principles led us to create quite a different ad, so you can imagine how much more could be done after optimizing for specific marketing objectives. Whether you aim to raise awareness, drive consideration, or prompt action, leveraging the version of the ABCDs tailored to your goal can help you craft a more effective ad. For more details download the ABCDs Playbook. Ariane Le Port Global Creative Effectiveness Lead, Creative Works Google Sources (1) 1 Google/Kantar Link AI, Global, The Short and the Long of ABCDs Effectiveness, 2021. Return to top of page Thanks for subscribing to the Think with Google newsletter! Sorry something went wrong. Please try again. Get Think with Google in your inbox Sign up to receive your selected communications from Google LLC and its affiliates. Your information will be used in accordance with Google’s privacy policy. You may opt out at any time. Email address This field is required. 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