Click Through Reads #65: YouTube Movie Ads, Google Ads Editor v2.0

Welcome back Click Through Readers! 

Google released several updates this week, launching Ads Editor v2.0 along with a new Google Cloud feature called Retail Search. Retail Search integrates with existing tools, making product discovery easier for shoppers. This new feature, however, might have some competition. 

Walmart released their new initiatives for 2022; expanding their capabilities as an ad platform and focusing on their mission to help brands connect further with customers on their shopping journey. 

Rewind the tape! YouTube is going back to basics, releasing thousands of movies and shows that are free with ads. Not only is the free content enjoyable as a user, but also the plethora of ad opportunities is exciting as an advertiser. 

Let’s jump into it!

Google Cloud Launches Retail Search for Ecommerce

Google Cloud launched a new feature called Retail Search, designed to make the shopping experience easier for consumers when they search for a business’ ecommerce site. 

A 2021 survey conducted by Google Cloud and The Harris Poll showed that 94% of US consumers abandoned their shopping session because they received searches that were irrelevant. Google Cloud concluded that, consequently, retailers miss out on $300 billion each year due to search abandonment in the U.S. 

The new Retail Search is built with Google’s advanced machine learning and AI, combined with marketing and data insights with the intent to make it easier for shoppers to find relevant products.  Now, retailers can quickly integrate data with existing tools such as Google Analytics 360, Tag Manager, and Merchant Center; they can make product discovery easier for shoppers while optimizing for their business goals. This includes:

• Advanced Query Understanding
• Semantic Search
• Optimized Results
• State-of-the-Art Security & Privacy Practices

Walmart’s Journey to Become a Top Ad Platform

As customer’s needs and options for how they shop continue to evolve, Walmart plans to be at the top of users’ list for how they like to shop–not just instore, but online as well. At Walmart’s latest earnings call, one of the major highlights was the early success of their global ad business, including Walmart Connect. 

Based on their first party data in 2019, they shared that 90% of America shops at Walmart for a range of products. With Walmart Connect’s mission statement of “helping brands and sellers meaningfully connect with these customers on their shopping journey–wherever that occurs–to find the right product or discover a new one”, it’s no surprise that one of their main focuses is expanding their capabilities as an ad platform. 

Here are some of their main initiatives for 2022:

• Continuing to improve and innovate new ways for suppliers and sellers to connect with customers throughout the shopper journey.
• Includes expanding touchpoints to reach customers in new ways with new ad formats (like CTV and video).
• Moving toward new premium advertising experiences on Walmart.com–including testing new onsite ad units and video.
  
  
• Unlocking growth for suppliers and sellers of all sizes through automation.
• Includes making it faster, easier and more efficient for brands to launch and manage display campaigns on Walmart.com, all on their own. 
• Display Self-Serve was recently rolled out to their first phase of advertisers.
• The recent launch of Walmart Demand Side Platform (DSP), an automated system for advertisers to buy off site inventory in one spot, continues to roll out to more advertisers.
  
  
• Committing to exceeding advertiser performance goals, by leaning into their core offerings through a combination of innovation and evolution.
• Includes improving their targeting and search capabilities as a main area of their focus this year.
• Focusing on expanding measurement capabilities for all their offerings.

Google Ads Editor v2.0 

Google recently introduced Google Ads Editor v2.0. Much like the original version, the new editor offers a number of ways to enhance your campaigns, save time and see stronger results. 

Performance Max Capability

Create and edit Performance Max campaigns directly in the new Google Ads Editor. 

Goal Setting

Change your goal settings and apply goals in bulk at both the account and campaign level. 

Campaign Level Overviews 

Get campaign-level overviews directly from the new editor. There will also be more insight on data including optimization score and top-performing campaigns. 

Combined Segments

Create and edit combined segments to help you reach a unique audience by joining different groups to create the perfect persona to target.

Asset Reporting

Compare how your assets perform relative to other assets of the same type within a particular campaign. 

Automate Common Tasks

Download the latest version here.

Watch Free Episodes and Movies on YouTube with Ads

At the beginning of this month, YouTube added 4,500 new episodes and 1,500 new movies under its Advertising Video On Demand (AVOD ), also known as “Free With Ads” offer. 

Although YouTube already offers other TV shows and movies for rent or purchase, this move shows YouTube is increasing its direct competition efforts with Roku, Crackle and other AVOD services. The new content is not exclusive to the platform, nor are all of the free offers the most popular titles, but they are in 5.1 surround sound, and are free for the consumer regardless. Additionally, YouTube plans to refresh the platform with a minimum of 100 new content offerings each month.

Google appears to be seeing the value in expanding their AVOD model. Many consumers have multiple subscriptions to paid AVOD services such as Netflix and Disney+; however, they may be getting tired of paying for various subscriptions.YouTube has an advantage in that it’s free, and the 135 million users who currently have their accounts connected to a TV  are conditioned to expect ads while watching their content..

In Q4 of 2021, YouTube announced they earned $8.6 billion in  ad revenue, a 25% year-over-year increase. Adding new professional content, free with ads gives advertisers more inventory for ads to appear on, and, if all goes well for YouTube, an increase in watch time from their users, which can lead to more engagement with our ads.