Advertisers Are Shifting Budgets From YouTube to Mobile Games. This Is Why.

While both YouTube and mobile games are popular platforms for advertisers looking to target audiences of all ages, in-app mobile game advertising offers clear advantages, which includes higher engagement rates, targeted advertising, lower ad-blocker usage, higher brand safety and a better user experience. 

Marketers already declared they are growing their In-game budget and here they share with us their experience: 

Lack of control over ad placement
One of the biggest disadvantages of advertising on YouTube is that advertisers have little control over where their ads are placed. While advertisers can choose the channels or videos they want to advertise on, YouTube's algorithm determines the exact placement of the ads.  This lack of control means that advertisers may end up with their ads appearing next to inappropriate or controversial content, which could harm their brand image.

Limited targeting options
While YouTube does offer targeting options based on demographics and interests, advertisers have limited options when it comes to targeting specific audiences (such as teens and youth).  In-app mobile game advertising offers advertisers powerful contextual AND data targeting options, which allow precise targeting by interest, current focus and other selected factors pertinent to specific campaigns.

Ad-blockers
Another significant disadvantage of YouTube for advertisers is the rise of ad-blockers. Ad-blockers are software programs that prevent ads from appearing on a user's device.  According to Hootsuite's 2022 digital trend report, 42% (!) of internet users worldwide use ad-blockers, and specifically under the age of 24, the percentage rise to 46% which means nearly half of YouTube's audience may not see ads at all.  Unlike YouTube, in-app mobile game advertising is far less likely to be blocked by users as they gain value from watching ads. This means that advertisers can reach a larger audience without worrying about ad-blockers.

Brand safety concerns
YouTube has been plagued by brand safety concerns in recent years, with several high-profile cases of ads appearing next to extremist or controversial content.  This has led many advertisers to avoid advertising on YouTube altogether, especially those looking to target younger audiences, as they may be particularly sensitive to such issues. In-app mobile game advertising offers a higher level of brand safety than YouTube. Since advertisers can specifically choose the games they advertise on, they have greater control over where their ads appear and can avoid controversial or inappropriate content.

Limited engagement
While YouTube encourages users to comment, like and share, users are less likely to engage with ads on YouTube. One of the biggest advantages of advertising inside mobile games is that users are highly engaged with the content. Interactive and playable ads are only available within games and are not supported on YouTube. But even when it comes to a video ad, users on YouTube are more likely to to put their phone away or even multitask when an ad is showing.  In-game advertising on the other hand, allows advertisers to reach their audiences where they are most engaged.  This results in a more dynamic form of marketing, especially with rewarded ads or sponsored content, which provides a positive user experience and leads to overall higher engagement rates.

Thinking about in-game advertising? Let’s work together to drive better engagement and see better results.