Youtube Video Builder – what is it?

Youtube Video Builder is a new tool from Youtube, created for companies that want to advertise on this site, but are not able to make their own advertising film. With YouTube Video Builder you can create a video that can then be used for an advertising campaign. This tool allows you to create a movie tailored to your device and for the needs of the selected campaign type in very simple steps.

What is the process of creating a video ad on Youtube Video Builder?

Step 1: Registration
To create a movie in Builder you must first register. The verification process takes about 24-48 hours, and confirmation of account creation is sent to the e-mail address provided earlier. The required email must be a Google email, and therefore connect to our Google account and YouTube channel. Youtube channel has virtually everyone who also has a gmail account. It is worth, however, that the email with which we log into Youtube Video Builder was immediately connected to our company’s channel.

We create a video with a view to its later use in an advertising campaign, so we can add our Google Ads Customer ID account number when registering. However, this is an additional option and if we do not have an account at this stage, or if we do not want to add it yet, our email is enough.

Step 2: Choose the movie layout
By entering Youtube Video Builder, we first select the layout, i.e. the type and format of the video that we want to create. We have over 10 different layouts to choose from:

– a video promoting the application (in vertical and horizontal version),
– a video of the brand (15 or 6 seconds),
– video showing the function of a product or service using phone animation,
– a video showing the product or brand (15 seconds),
– a video informing about the current promotion,
– a video emphasizing the product’s value or benefits of the service,
– and more.

Each layout contains a short description and a demonstration video in the style of which you will be able to create your own promotional video. In addition, with each example we will find information:

– how many photos we will be able to upload,
– how long will the video last,
– what dimensions will it have,
– how many blocks of text we can add (including call to action),
– can we add our logo (in a version with a transparent background and a selected color).

Step 3: We create the video ad layout!
We choose the layout that suits us and move on.

Then we can set two brand colors and upload our two logos.

We move to uploading the photos that we want to use for the campaign. In each case, we have provided the exact dimensions of the photo and the maximum file size for photos (this, in most cases, is 2 MB.)

Tip!
It is worth that the photos or graphics that you intend to use in the video, were designed by a graphic designer who will match the colors and icons that match your company’s image. Your photos should help tell a story that includes the benefits of your product, service or brand. So if we have such an opportunity, it is better not to use so-called stock photos.

If our graphics do not meet the requirements of Video Builder, we will be notified. At our own risk, however, we can try to go further and create a video with the graphics.

Step 4: We choose the font, soundtrack and compose advertising texts
Depending on the movie layout we choose, we can add the appropriate number of texts, including the text that appears on the movie and the final CTA.

Then we have the option to set the font (all suggestions available on Google fonts are available). The inability to upload your own font or own sound and the need to choose one of the proposals available in the database is one of the biggest disadvantages of Builder.

Creating movies is simplified so that every person, even one who has never had anything to do with video creation before, could create an advertisement. This is a big advantage of Youtube Video Builder. However, to create a relatively personalized video, which will be based on the assumptions of the visual identity of the brand, you will need to work a bit and review and adjust the available variants.

Step 5. We have the first video!
Youtube Video Builder automatically creates a video for us in just a few seconds. Of course, after all the slides have been put together, we can edit the movie. By clicking “save” our video is saved on our channel as “unlisted video”. We also get a link redirecting us to the video – already embedded in our channel, which we can enrich with a description, tags and another title.

Step 6. Video advertising on Youtube
The created movie can be left on the channel and made available to our viewers or used in an advertising campaign on Youtube.

The ads displayed on YouTube belong to the Google Ads family. Yes! Google Ads is not only search engine advertising or product cards. It is also a giant advertising network, which consists of over two million websites, films and applications in which YouTube can be displayed as an advertising medium. Google Ads is also a promotion in the Gmail inbox and on the website and in the YouTube application. So your video has great potential to appear not only on Youtube!

Within the advertising campaigns displayed on pages and in the YouTube application, several different types of ads can be distinguished. Each of the available formats has a slightly different way to attract the attention of viewers and can be displayed in a different place on the website. Available types of video ads are: True View In-Stream, True View Discovery and Bumper Ads. In addition to the basic types of ads mentioned above, there are several additional options that advertisers can use.

Tips for video advertising

A. Attract attention – right from the start!
Remember that the first seconds count (statistics say that only three!) And it depends on them whether the user will pay attention to your ad. Regardless of the format and type of the advertisement, users can view the advertisement in full or click the “continue” button. Only in the case of Bumper Ads type ads lasting 6 seconds, the user cannot click “skip”. For TrueView in-stream ads, viewers can choose whether they want to view the ad in its entirety, or after 5 seconds of viewing, they want to skip.

B. Friendly faces you want to watch
If your company creates the concept of an advertising movie, it would be worth including people in it! Why? According to YouTube research, friendly, connected and recognizable people at the beginning of the film can lead to increased viewership. In addition, people’s faces can convey emotions that can be relatively difficult to convey in a simple video created in Youtube Video Builder.

C. Sound also matters!
Although in social media it is often recommended to add subtitles to videos, because of the way they are viewed by users (usually in mute mode), however on YouTube the sound matters (and what!). Viewers expect sound on YouTube, and research shows that sound is associated with stimulating attention and a positive response to the brand. So if you decide to choose a sound from the available base, choose one that will refer to your brand and will be associated with it positively.

D. Add some humor.
Viewers are more likely to watch ads that make them laugh. Youtube research even says that humor is associated with greater brand awareness and recalling ads. Of course, this tactic cannot be used in every case, so use it only if it matches your brand’s language and communication.

E. Remember the ABCD formula
ATTRACT – attract attention from the very beginning of the film,
BRAND – build a brand, show your brand in a natural and meaningful way,
CONNECT – connect with recipients through emotions and telling stories. Invite them to interact, check what they say about your video online and be inspired by their comments!
DIRECT YOUR AUDIENCE – direct viewers to the place where you care (for a specific product or service page, company profile or a specific tab on the website). Use the right call to action.

F. Show product in use!
One of the basic principles of creating product videos is that instead of focusing on the benefits of the product, show how it can help or solve the problems of potential customers.

G. Encourage recipients to interact!
Thanks to the interactive features available on the YouTube platform: info cards, end screens and call-to-action overlays, you can make it easier for your viewers. You can find all additional functions in Youtube Studio.

Builder Youtube Video and other video creators

Most of the available online tools for creating movies or animations are based on a very similar “step by step” scheme in which you can create video yourself. Same with Youtube Video Builder. At the beginning we choose a pattern (so-called template or layout). In the case of paid tools (most offer several days or selected options also for free), we adjust the video according to our preferences. And here, most often, there are differences between the creators! And at this stage we can start comparing the functions they offer.

And the differences are big! Starting from the available templates, the number of which in YouTube Video Builder is relatively small (currently 16 different variants). In popular creator, we can choose from among 30 – 50 templates, which can then be converted to another size (suited e.g. for mobile or desktop, or also to a given advertising space or ad format).

What’s more, Youtube Video Builder allows us to combine several graphics (previously prepared) into an animated video. Unfortunately, we do not have the option of animating the movements, e.g. on graphics, which makes the whole movie look like a slide show.

Speaking of history, its presentation on several slides will certainly be more difficult than through several interconnected animations. Therefore, the videos created in Youtube Video Builder will be rather more raw, advertising. It will be very difficult for us to create an animation that will arouse emotions (unless it is information about large promotions!). For videos promoting products or reminding about promotions or special offers, Youtube Video Builder should be enough.

Summary

Youtube Video Builder is very average compared to other available creators. It is a simple and quick solution for those who want to diversify their advertising activities with video advertising, but do not have excessive requirements for the creation itself. The upside of the tool is definitely that it is completely free, and by creating video we can be sure that it will comply with the standards of video advertising in Google Ads. Nevertheless, if you want to use the created video on a larger scale in an advertisement on Youtube, it is worth investing a small sum and creating the video in another creator. These will allow you to personalize the film more and relate to the emotions of viewers.