Google launches Trueview for action at Dmexco 2016

The online web giant’s latest video ad format – dubbed Trueview for action – lets advertisers tailor their ads more “actionable” by serving users with call-to-action messages such as ‘get a quote’, ‘book now’, or ‘sign up’, etc. (see image).

In a blog post announcing the update, Sridhar Ramaswamy, Google, SVP, ads and commerce, wrote: “Since this is an easy add-on to your video, you can drive performance on top of all the benefits of showing your video to an engaged audience. This is especially advantageous for brands that offer products or services with high consideration, like financial services, automotive, or travel.”

Google maintains that the latest TrueView ad format lets brands encourage users along the purchase funnel by encouraging them to register their details with their business, citing data that suggests over 70 million people use YouTube to research a purchase on a monthly basis.

“We’re excited to start testing this new format with advertisers through the end of the year,” he added.

“These intent-rich moments are opportunities for brands to connect with consumers when it matters. In fact, over one-in-four mobile video viewers in the US have visited YouTube to help with a purchase decision while they were at a store or visiting a store's website.”

Universal App Campaigns

Elsewhere, Google also used the trade show – hosted in Cologne, Germany, to highlight the global availability of its Universal App Campaigns offering – a service that helps will let brands optimise their ad campaigns to engage with mobile users beyond the initial install across its key properties.

The service – which was initially announced last year – lets advertisers optimise their ad campaigns to engage with mobile users that have already installed their mobile apps in order for them to encourage purchases, etc.

Universal App Campaigns uses algorithmic targeting to let brands serve the appropriate ads in real-time, with the ads served across a host of its properties including: Google Search, Play, YouTube, and the millions of sites and apps in the Google Display Network.

Speaking at this morning’s conference, Ramaswamy, said: “With today’s launch, universal app campaigns can now help developers and marketers move beyond the install, and optimize for valuable events and conversions within their apps.

“Using advanced machine learning, we evaluate countless signals in real time, continuously refining your ads do you can reach the most valuable users at the right place, across Google’s largest properties.”

Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the show, Ramaswamy said Universal Ad Campaigns was about letting advertisers: “define the goals, and actions that matter to you.” He added: “we take care of everything. Just clarify as cost-per-install, and and we use out machine learning technology to find the users in the context in which you are going to get your performance.”

He went on to say: “Not having to set up separate campaigns for each inventory resource is one of the big selling points the way we see it.”

Third party verification?

When quizzed on Google’ stance on permitting independent third party verification on campaign performance, he said the web giant understood the need for third party verficiation, adding that it has made a host of tie-ups in this arena over the past 12 months – a sticking point for many media buyers.

“One thing that I will point out is that unlike TV measurement, which is based on relatively small groups – and signed a pretty through agreement on things such as viewing activity. This kind of measurement in the online world has to be though out much more cleverly, as it has to be done at scale for all users of a particular platform,” he said.

“That’s why we are cautious about doing it, and cautious about who we are do it with … We work closely with industry bodies to work towards common measurement standards acros TV and YouTube.

Key stats

In addition, the web giant also used the conference to reveal that over the past year it has doubled the number of app install ads it has driven using its ad product, with the total number of installs hitting the 38 billion mark. To date, Android users have installed more than 65 billion apps from Google Play, according to Ramaswamy.

Meanwhile, Google gas also used the conference to highlight that the number of statistics to highlight the importance of brands optimizing their customer experiences on mobile devices. For instance, the number of Google searches on mobile have how outstripped those performed those on desktop, and 53 per cent of mobile users are likely to abandon a web page if it takes longer than three seconds to load.

Testimonials

To accompany the universal roll out of Universal App Campaigns, Google has also published a number of testimonials from customers including: Amazon service Audible; Happn, and Publicis Groupe’s M&C Saatchi.

“We are increasingly focusing on the lifetime value of the users we acquire. We’ve been working closely with our agency M&C Saatchi and Google to move things forward in that direction, and so far the new version of Universal App Campaigns has proven to be the ultimate tool to get higher quality users at scale,” said Suzannah Harten-Ash, Audible marketing manager.

Also included is a testimony from app developer Trivago, which claimed that since using Universal App Campaigns, the lifetime value of its customers is 20 per cent higher than previously.