How to Run YouTube Ads on Google Ads: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, with over 2 billion logged-in users visiting every single month. That makes it one of the most powerful platforms for digital advertising — and the good news is that YouTube ads are managed directly through Google Ads, giving you precise targeting, flexible budgets, and measurable results all in one place.
Whether you're a small business looking to build brand awareness or an established brand aiming to drive conversions, YouTube advertising can deliver exceptional ROI when done right. In this guide, we'll walk you through exactly how to run YouTube ads on Google Ads — from account setup to campaign optimization — so you can hit the ground running.
At Shout OTB, we've helped dozens of businesses across industries launch high-performing YouTube ad campaigns. Here's everything you need to know.
Why YouTube Ads Are Worth Your Investment
Before we get into the how, let's talk about the why. YouTube advertising sits at a unique intersection of search intent and visual storytelling. Unlike static banner ads, video ads let you communicate emotion, demonstrate your product, and build trust — all within seconds.
Key Benefits of Running YouTube Ads
- Massive reach: Access billions of monthly active users across every niche and industry.
- Cost-effective: You only pay when viewers watch or interact with your ad (TrueView model).
- Laser-targeted audiences: Target by age, interests, keywords, life events, and custom intent.
- Full-funnel capability: From awareness to conversion, YouTube supports every stage.
- Advanced analytics: Real-time data via Google Ads dashboard lets you optimise continuously.
Before You Begin: What You Need to Set Up
Running YouTube ads requires a few things in place before you log into Google Ads. Skipping these steps is the most common mistake advertisers make.
Essential Prerequisites
- A Google Ads account: Sign up at ads.google.com if you don't already have one.
- A YouTube channel: Your video ads must be hosted on YouTube. You'll need a brand channel linked to your Google account.
- Your video ad: Ideally a 15–60 second video that clearly communicates your message. Upload it to YouTube (it can be unlisted).
- A billing method: Add a credit or debit card to your Google Ads account before launching.
- A landing page or destination URL: Know where you want users to go after clicking your ad.
Step-by-Step: How to Run YouTube Ads on Google Ads
Step 1: Create a New Campaign in Google Ads
Log in to your Google Ads account and click + New Campaign. You'll be asked to choose a campaign goal. For YouTube ads, the most common goals are:
- Brand awareness and reach
- Product and brand consideration
- Website traffic or conversions
After selecting your goal, choose Video as the campaign type. This tells Google Ads you want to run ads on YouTube and Google's video partners.
Step 2: Choose Your Video Ad Format
Google Ads offers several YouTube ad formats. Choosing the right one depends on your goal and budget:
- Skippable In-Stream Ads: Play before or during videos. Viewers can skip after 5 seconds. You only pay if they watch 30 seconds (or the full ad if shorter). Best for awareness and conversions.
- Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads: 15 seconds max, viewers must watch the entire ad. Charged per thousand impressions (CPM). Ideal for strong brand messaging.
- Bumper Ads: 6-second non-skippable ads. Great for reinforcing a message or running alongside a larger campaign.
- In-Feed Video Ads: Appear in YouTube search results and on the homepage. Viewers click to watch. Excellent for product discovery.
- Outstream Ads: Mobile-only ads that appear on websites and apps outside of YouTube. Good for extending reach.
Pro tip from Shout OTB: Skippable in-stream ads tend to offer the best balance of reach and cost control for most businesses, especially at the start.
Step 3: Set Your Budget and Bidding Strategy
You can set a daily budget or a campaign total budget. For beginners, we recommend starting with a daily budget of $10–$30 to test performance before scaling.
For bidding, Google Ads gives you several options for video campaigns:
- Maximum CPV (Cost Per View): You set the highest amount you're willing to pay per view.
- Target CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions): Best for awareness campaigns.
- Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): Advanced option for conversion-focused campaigns.
Step 4: Define Your Target Audience
This is where YouTube advertising really shines. Google Ads allows you to layer multiple targeting signals to reach the exact people most likely to engage with your brand:
- Demographics: Age, gender, parental status, household income.
- Interests & Habits: Target people based on their long-term interests (affinity audiences) or what they're actively researching (in-market audiences).
- Keywords: Show your ads alongside videos that contain specific keywords in their title, description, or tags.
- Topics: Target entire topic categories on YouTube, such as 'Fitness' or 'Home Improvement'.
- Placements: Choose specific YouTube channels or videos where you want your ad to appear.
- Remarketing: Re-engage people who've visited your website, watched your previous videos, or subscribed to your channel.
Step 5: Set Up Your Ad Creative
Paste in the YouTube URL of your uploaded video. Then complete the following fields:
- Final URL: The page people land on after clicking your ad.
- Display URL: A clean, readable version of your URL shown in the ad.
- Call-to-Action (CTA): Write a compelling, action-driven button (e.g., 'Shop Now', 'Book a Free Call', 'Get a Quote').
- Headline: A short, punchy line that reinforces your CTA (up to 15 characters).
Great ad creative is the difference between a campaign that performs and one that drains your budget. Hook viewers in the first 5 seconds — that's the window before they can skip.
Step 6: Review and Launch Your Campaign
Before hitting Publish, review every setting: campaign name, budget, targeting, ad group structure, and creative. Google will review your ad for policy compliance — this usually takes a few hours. Once approved, your campaign will go live.
How to Optimise Your YouTube Ad Campaign
Launching is just the beginning. Ongoing optimisation separates good campaigns from great ones.
Track the Right Metrics
- View Rate: Percentage of people who watched your ad past the skippable point. A higher rate signals a compelling hook.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): How many viewers clicked your CTA button.
- Cost Per View (CPV): What you're paying for each meaningful view.
- Conversion Rate: Are viewers taking the action you want after watching?
- Watch Time & Audience Retention: Where do viewers drop off? Use this to refine your video.
Ongoing Optimisation Tips
- Exclude poor-performing placements: If certain channels or apps are wasting your budget, exclude them from your targeting.
- A/B test your creatives: Test different thumbnails, CTAs, or video lengths to see what resonates.
- Use frequency caps: Prevent ad fatigue by limiting how often the same person sees your ad.
- Layer remarketing: Target warm audiences who've already interacted with your brand for higher conversion rates.
Common YouTube Ads Mistakes to Avoid
- Weak opening hook: If you don't grab attention in the first 5 seconds, viewers skip — and so does your money.
- Too broad a target audience: Wider isn't better. Narrow targeting produces more qualified, engaged viewers.
- No conversion tracking: Without Google Ads conversion tracking installed on your website, you're flying blind.
- Ignoring mobile: The majority of YouTube views happen on mobile. Make sure your landing page is fully mobile-optimised.
- Set-and-forget mentality: Campaigns need regular monitoring and tweaking, especially in the first 2–4 weeks.
Ready to Run YouTube Ads That Actually Deliver Results?
YouTube advertising is one of the most powerful tools in your digital marketing arsenal — but only when it's set up strategically and managed with precision. From crafting scroll-stopping creatives to engineering audience targeting that actually converts, every detail matters.
At Shout OTB, we specialise in Google Ads and YouTube advertising for businesses that want measurable growth, not guesswork. Our team of certified digital marketing strategists will build, manage, and optimise your YouTube ad campaigns from the ground up — so you can focus on running your business while we focus on growing it.
Get in touch with the team at shoutotb.com and let's build a YouTube ad strategy that works for you.
Final Thoughts
YouTube ads managed through Google Ads offer unmatched targeting capability, broad reach, and genuine flexibility for businesses at every stage. The platform rewards creativity, relevance, and smart optimisation — and punishes generic, poorly targeted campaigns.
Follow the steps in this guide to launch your first campaign with confidence. And if you want expert support to maximise your return, Shout OTB is here to help you every step of the way.
© Shout OTB Digital Marketing Agency | shoutotb.com