Youtube launches shopping ads – Content24

Welcome to Content24. What makes this different is that it’s a digest of the stories that have made an impact over the past 24 hours and not just a platform for recycled content marketing. Today we’re looking at YouTube and the issue of trust in content marketing

YouTube launches shopping ads

YouTube is making changes to its site that will include allowing shopping ads to appear on content. The ad will take the form of an ‘I’ link in a top corner of the screen. Once clicked, the reveal will take the same form as product ads on Google’s main site.

In a blog post Diya Jolly, director of video ads product management, said: “Shopping ads on YouTube provide an entirely new revenue stream for creators, providing another way to monetise product-focused videos.

“They also provide a more interactive experience for viewers, letting them shop directly from videos. Stay tuned as we roll out this new capability in the coming months.”

There is an enormous amount of content produced by brands and content marketing agencies on YouTube. This development is important in that it could make those videos more powerful. It potentially saves consumers having to leave the page and puts them one click closer to a sale.

YouTube says product videos (such as reviews and tutorials) have seen 40 per cent viewership growth in the past year.

Google is also allowing apps to be promoted on its Gaming and TrueView channels for the first time.

Consumer trust of ads, consumer trust of content

UK consumers are beginning to distrust native editorial content while trust in ads on mobile and social networks is increasing, according to Nielsen.

However, in its biennial Global Survey of Trust in Advertising survey, Nielsen found that 54 per cent of respondents trusted content marketing. This compares to 62 per cent in 2013.

While the 8 per cent fall is disappointing it also highlights the growing prevalence of the medium. It should be remembered, too, that native content is still the most trusted.

Mobile advertising increased to 34 per cent, but overall it was still one of the least trusted mediums.

Terrie Brennan, Nielsen’s executive vice president of marketing effectiveness for Europe, made an interesting point, saying: “The formats where action exceeds trust by the greatest margin share a common attribute: easy access to the product or service.

“You like it, you buy it. Online and mobile formats make it exceptionally easy for consumers to live in the moment and take quick action on the ad. Often, consumers simply click a link and they’re directed to a place where they can receive more information or purchase the item.”