Why Use YouTube Preroll Ads in Your Digital Marketing Strategy
What are YouTube Preroll Ads?
- YouTube Preroll ads are short video ads that appear before, during, or after a YouTube video. These ads are especially helpful for building brand awareness.
Video is one of the most heavily searched topics on the internet. Searches for “how to” and “what is” yield a carousel of videos near the top of search results.
As much as a third of all online activity involves watching video. 78% of people have watched video content online within the last week, and 55% of those people watch video content every day. That makes online video marketing an integral part of any digital marketing strategy.
So let’s talk about the main source of video consumed online: YouTube.
YouTube has become more popular than any broadcast TV network. A 2025 study showed that 51% of people pay for cable.3 More than two-thirds of these same users are visiting YouTube daily. And more than 50 percent of older generations – including those older than 60 years old – also watch videos online regularly.4
YouTube is the #2 search engine in the world (behind Google, which owns YouTube). Just look at the some of these stats:
- YouTube sees more than 3 billion searches per month.
- In the U.S., 62% of YouTube users say they visit the site daily.
- 83% of consumers worldwide prefer YouTube to watch video content.
If you aren’t already advertising on YouTube, you should think about it. It can be an effective part of your Google Ads marketing strategy. One of the least intrusive (and most effective) ways is with preroll ads.
What Are YouTube Preroll Ads?
While “pre-roll” may make you think of ads that appear before a video, YouTube preroll ads are more than that.
If you’ve watched YouTube recently, you’ve probably seen a preroll ad. These non-skippable ads can appear before, during, or after the video you want to watch. (You’ll also find similar ads on Facebook, X, and Vimeo, but we’ll focus on YouTube here.)
These ads can be 15 to 20 seconds long. Here’s a screenshot of one example of a non-skippable video ad:
These ads may also appear midway through a YouTube video that is 8 minutes or longer in length.
Aren’t These Ads Annoying?
Some people may dislike preroll ads — especially when they appear in the middle of a video they’re watching. Generally, when they appear before the video, they’re considered to be the least intrusive of these types of ads.
Think about it. The audience watching your ad is invested and willing to sit through a brief ad to get to the content they want to see. That means they’re likely engaged, since they’re waiting for something specific, and there’s a higher chance they’ll engage with your ad.
Even when your ad appears in the middle of a video, it’s still worth it, comparatively.
- For people watching standard TV on basic cable, in a typical 30 minute show, you generally get around 22 minutes of show and 8 minutes of ad breaks. That usually means between 2 to 3 minutes per ad break.
- On Hulu (if you don’t pay for the ad-free premium subscription) a 30-minute show will play an ad beforehand and have two or three ad breaks during the show. It adds up to about 5 minutes of total ad time.5
- On YouTube, on a 30-minute video, even if there is an ad before the video and an ad break every 5 minutes, if each non-skippable ad is 15 to 20 seconds long, that is about 2 minutes of total ad time (plus or minus a few seconds).
Benefits of YouTube Preroll Ads
You can easily target YouTube ads.
You can target and manage these ads along with your other Google Ads. You can target your audience by:
- Location
- Demographics
- Language
- Keywords
- Topic (the type of video they’re watching right now)
- Interest (the type of videos they tend to watch, even if they’re watching something else right now)
This makes preroll ads easy to manage, especially if you target interests and topics that make sense to the consumer. Since they’re waiting for something specific related to that topic, there’s a higher chance they’ll watch your ad. And you can use analytics to see how many people watched your ad and how long they watched it.
For example, if the person watching your ad is watching or has recently watched a video about the new RAM 1500, and you show them an ad about your dealership with new RAM trucks in it, they’re more likely to be engaged with your ad.
Most of us can’t afford to run Super Bowl commercials on TV, but YouTube ads are an affordable way to reach people.
With YouTube, you basically choose where you want your ads to be shown, how much you are willing to pay, and who you want to see those ads. You can’t do that anywhere else.
Treat YouTube Ads Differently
It’s important to treat YouTube ads as a separate platform. You don’t want to just upload your regular TV commercial. Users don’t want to see commercials. Effective pre-roll ads are 1) targeted well and 2) different and entertaining.
A simple, fun example (to help you think outside the box) is this Burger King preroll ad.
So think creatively for your ad! Here are some ideas of preroll ads you could do for a dealership:
- Reach users watching product review videos by running an ad that gives a quick, helpful walkthrough of your own offering — something they’d find useful and informative.
- Target viewers watching travel or adventure content with an ad that highlights how your product or service can make their next trip easier, more enjoyable, or more affordable.
- If people are watching DIY or how-to videos, serve them a short behind-the-scenes look at your business that builds trust — like showcasing your team, your process, or a customer testimonial.
- Create an ad that answers a common question related to what users are searching for and position your business as the go-to expert — then tell them where to find more tips or resources from you.
With YouTube preroll ads, it’s important to give your audience a reason to keep watching. Tell a story with the video. These ads are a source of entertainment for the viewers, so make your brand memorable, engaging and entertaining.
Let 9 Clouds Help You Online
Interested in exploring YouTube ads, or just interested in expanding your online reach?
See all the ways our experienced team can help you develop that strategy. Then, request your free digital marketing assessment to customize it for what your business needs.
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