YouTube recently made an announcement that it is changing the attribution criteria for TrueView for Action video ads. These ads are designed for performance advertisers and feature call-to-action banners at the base of the video ads.
What are the major changes :
- YouTube will now count an ‘Engagement’ at whatever point a user clicks or watches 10 seconds or more of a TrueView for action ad, when using maximize conversions or target CPA bidding. (That’s a change from 30 seconds).
- A ‘Conversion’ will be counted, as a matter of course, when a client makes a move on an ad within 3 days of an ‘Engagement.’ Just in case, you prefer to change it, you will need to request your Google rep tweak this time span. That is a change from 30 days.
- For users who click your ad, YouTube will still attribute conversions according to the conversion window you have set (the default is 30 days).
Why the change? YouTube says it is changing the default attribution criteria from 30 seconds and 30 days to 10 seconds and 3 days to more easily understand “the connection between video ad exposure and conversions.”
Nicky Rettke, YouTube group product manager, wrote, “We conducted large-scale experiments to analyze the incremental conversion volume driven by TrueView for action ads across a broad range of advertiser industries and conversion types.”
What it implies for advertisers? The shorter engagement to conversion window will mean quicker ramp times for target CPA campaigns and more current announcing, says Google.
Advertisers are charged on engagement basis for TrueView ads but since TrueView for activity campaigns that utilize Target CPA and Maximize Conversions, are enhanced to drive the most conversions at the objective value set by the the advertiser.
