YouTube Masthead Ads: A Complete Guide for Creators

What Are YouTube Masthead Ads

YouTube Masthead ads are a premium advertising type that positions your brand, product, or service at the top of the YouTube home feed across all devices – desktop, mobile, and TV screens.

These ads are huge and eye-catching, and are displayed for 24 hours, making them highly visible and engaging. When a user opens the YouTube app or website, these ads are the first thing they see, grabbing their attention right away.

Types of YouTube Masthead Ads

There are two types of Masthead ads on YouTube:

1. Cost-Per-Thousand-Impression (CPM) Masthead

This type provides a reserved and fixed volume of impressions that are delivered over the course of your campaign. For example, if you purchase 1,000 impressions, YouTube will ensure that your ad is shown to that many users within the specified campaign period.

CPM Mastheads are available globally. You can access them through your Google Representative or directly in Display and Video 360 (DV 360). This option is great for ongoing campaigns where you want to target a specific audience segment over an extended period.

2. Cost-Per-Hour (CPH) Masthead

CPH Mastheads offer 100% share-of-voice (SOV) of eligible impressions of YouTube’s Masthead unit during the reserved hours you buy. This means that for the hour (or multiple hours) you pay for, your ad will be the only Masthead ad shown.

This ensures that anyone who opens YouTube at that crucial hour would see their ad. It’s ideal for moment-based campaigns. CPH Mastheads are available only through your Google Representative.

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Benefits of YouTube Masthead Ads

For brands and businesses, why is creating a YouTube Masthead ad campaign a beneficial choice? Here are some of its benefits:

1. Maximize Brand Visibility and Reach

Because the Masthead ad is in prime placement at the top of the YouTube homepage, it’s hard to miss. They can reach a massive audience, making them perfect for building brand awareness. Brands running Masthead ads can expect to be seen by millions of users within a short period, far exceeding the reach of many other ad formats.

2. Enhance Brand Recall

Studies have shown that Masthead ads have a significant impact on ad recall. When users see your ad in such a prominent position, it sticks in their minds.

3. Drive Purchase Intent

By effectively showcasing your product or service as Masthead ads, you can motivate users to make a purchase. Brands that promote limited-time sales through Masthead ads can see a surge in sales, as users are more likely to click through and buy.

Effective Tips for Running YouTube Masthead Ads

Have no idea how to run Masthead ads on YouTube? You can create a YouTube Masthead ad campaign in Google Ads. In addition, you can refer to the following tips to create it more effectively:

• Use high-quality video content: Since Masthead Ads autoplay, ensure the first few seconds of the video are visually compelling and capture attention immediately.
• Include a clear brand logo: Display your brand’s logo or product name prominently, so users can recognize it instantly.
• Add a strong call-to-action (CTA): Encourage users to click, learn more, or shop now with a clear and engaging CTA button.
• Optimize for all devices: Test how your ad looks on desktop, mobile, and TV to ensure it looks well on all devices.
• Plan ahead: Since Masthead ads require booking in advance, you have to plan your campaign around the product launches, events, or key promotional dates.

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Bottom Line

YouTube Masthead ads offer a powerful way for brands to increase their brand awareness and drive more purchases. By watching this complete guide, you can have a clear understanding of this video type and create highly effective campaigns.