We all know that YouTube has a variety of ad formats to cater to your varying needs. One of which is what’s called TrueView in-stream ads–also known as Skippable ads.

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TrueView for Action is an in-stream video ad format that can be displayed on YouTube and Google’s video partner websites. It plays before (pre-roll), during (mid-roll) or after (post-roll) the content that the user is watching, giving the user the opportunity to skip it after five seconds.

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The goal of TrueView for Action campaigns is simple, and that is: to get a reaction from the user through either a visit to the advertiser’s website or by filling out a form. 

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Now, if you are running ads on YouTube–chances are, you may have learned (or read) that all existing TrueView for action campaigns will now automatically get upgraded to Video Action campaigns as part of the evolution of YouTube ads offering in 2022. But, what does this really mean to us advertisers?

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This brings us to our next point:

TrueView Ads vs. Video Action Ads: what’s the difference?

By virtue, you’re likely already familiar with these two ad formats, especially if you have spent a significant amount of time perfecting your YouTube marketing strategy. And while both are quite similar in that it focuses on driving conversions and uses either target CPA or maximizes conversion bidding, here are a couple of key differences between the two:

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TrueView for Action (TvA) uses standard ad groups and can only run on the in-stream ad format. This means that they play before, during, or after another video on YouTube and gives viewers the option to skip the advertisement after five seconds. 

‍Video Action campaigns on the other hand, include a mix of skippable in-stream ads and in-feed video ads within one campaign, and use responsive ad groups allowing ads to show as either a video discovery ad or a skippable in-stream ad such as YouTube mobile home feed, YouTube watch pages, and Google video partners–which can help you gain more conversions quickly.

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Meanwhile, TvA campaign ads can only be shown on Google Video Partners and YouTube watch pages.

So, what is actually changing?

With the transition of TrueView for Action to Video Action, you will no longer be able to create new TvA ads–which means: video campaigns will show ads in both the In-Stream and Video Discovery formats instead of just in-stream format. In addition, you will no longer be able to opt out of showing ads on Google Video Partners (GVP) network for Video Action campaigns.

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Note that existing TvA ads will continue to run and you will still be able to make edits to them for several months after the transition. No exact date has been provided yet as to when the ad type will be fully sunset.

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Another change is the input format for the ad. In a typical YouTube TrueView for Action campaign, your YouTube video link, final URL, display URL, ten characters call-to-action, and a short 15 character headline is needed. A Video Action campaign however allows you to enter more details along with a 90-character long headline and a 70-character description.

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Google Ads have also launched a “copy and paste” feature so you can easily copy and paste existing TrueView for Action ads as Video Action ads–which is pretty neat.

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How does this impact performance?

According to Google, Video Action campaigns have so far driven 20% more conversions (per dollar) compared to TvA campaigns, which can help you improve advertising efficiency. 

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Through its combined inventory from the YouTube Home feed, YouTube watch pages, Google video partners, and more, Video action campaigns can help you drive improved performance for your campaigns by reaching new customers. It enhances the conversion rate, drives more traffic to your website and optimize your ads for the lowest CPA. You will also be able to scale your campaigns and will no longer have to set budgets or bids for each inventory resource.

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There's one caveat though: Video Action will always have a lower view rate than TvA because the ads are In-Stream and Video Discovery (Video Discovery ads typically have a much lower view rate due to users having to click the ad to start viewing). 

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Learn how to optimize your Responsive Video Ads (AKA Video Action Campaigns) below.