Last month, Google introduced a contact form extension for search ads and following its success, they are now replicating it for YouTube TrueView for action. This pre-filled form extension will allow advertisers to generate leads from a channel that has always been known for its top-of-the-funnel marketing approach. Excited to know more? Read on.

How does it work?

By leveraging TrueView for action Form ads, your brand can drive leads through an in-line form submission by the consumer. Your video will have a CTA which will lead viewers to a pre-filled form where they can submit their details (name, email and phone number) in order to learn more about your brand. This way, users can submit information directly to the advertisers in an easy and hassle-free manner, creating a win-win situation for both the marketers and consumers.

Things to consider while implementing YouTube form ads

There are a few pointers to keep in mind while implementing TrueView for action Form ads to get the most out of your marketing efforts. Few of them are discussed below:

• TrueView for action Form ads are compatible with all forms of YouTube targeting including custom intent audiences, remarketing and customer match audiences. So, it is a good idea to experiment with all forms of targeting in order to generate high-quality leads for your brand.
• Pay attention to your ad copies. Make sure that the headline of your form and the respective CTA is descriptive enough and in line with the objective of your campaign.

Featured below is an example of a TrueView for action Form ad implemented for a car insurance company. As you can see, when the user clicks on the CTA button “Send me more info”, they are presented with a form that appears as a drop down. The form is pre-filled making it easier for the user to submit their details and get one step closer to converting to the brand.

With TrueView for action Form ads, digital marketers can easily engage with India’s next billion Internet users by tapping the Google and YouTube audiences who are engaging with their YouTube ads. Whether you are a leading real estate developer, an FMCG giant or a top financial organisation, it is time you add TrueView for action Form ads to your digital marketing strategy. For more tips on how to rank your videos, read our in-depth article: YouTube SEO Tips: The Secret Sauce to Ranking Your Videos in 2019.

Following the success of lead forms across multiple platforms, Google has decided to introduce Lead form extension for search ads (see the full Google for India video for more info). This form extension, which is still in beta, gives an option of a form directly on the search ad itself, similar to the lead ads on Facebook and LinkedIn. The new initiative will appear in the mobile search results page and will be a game changer for both marketers and consumers. According to Google search report, 80% of traffic comes from mobile devices, which means this update will help brands reach the next billion internet users.

How does it benefit marketers?

• Form ads can help brands generate high-quality leads due to the high-intent of the users who fill them up.
• It eliminates the need to click on the ad and go to the landing page to fill the form, providing the twin benefit of speed and convenience. Moreover, brands that don’t have a landing page yet, this can be an ideal way to generate enquiries.
• With 80% of searches coming from mobile, the mobile-optimised design of the form ads is a win-win for both the consumers and the marketers.
• The forms can be optimised without the hassle of coordinating with the technology team.
• Finally, it allows campaigns to go live instantly with limited technology/CRM integrations. Though CRM integrations might not be available at launch it is likely to happen as the product is enhanced.

How does it benefit consumers?

• Since the ads are targeted to the user based on their previous content consumption pattern, the forms are more relevant.
• Compared to mobile pages, the forms load faster and provide a better user experience. Similar to how AMP Landing Pages improve the experience.
• The forms are usually pre-filled with the information of the user, reducing the friction of filling and making it even easier to hit “Submit”. The quality of leads is something that needs to be tested once the extension is launched.

You can also check out our all you need to know video on lead forms on Google.

Information generated in lead reports:

Marketers can get the following fields filled by potential consumers:

• Name of the lead
• Email ID of the lead
• Phone number
• Gclid
• Campaign ID
• Ad group ID

Form ads also provide the time stamp of lead submission. In the initial phase, the leads will be sent to a Google spreadsheet which can be created during the setup process.

This update from Google is still in the beta stage but with the list of benefits it provides, there is no doubt that it going to stay! We are excited to try it out for our clients. Watch this space for more.