YouTube brand campaigns now track Shorts engagement and branded searches

Key points

• 1

  Shorts Ad Actions in Video View campaigns: YouTube has updated Video View campaigns to automatically include Shorts Ad Actions in budget optimization and reporting. This means advertisers can now see how Shorts ads with over 10 seconds of watch time and likes impact brand consideration (15% increase) and favorability (20% increase) in their campaigns. For example, if your brand campaign targets Shorts users, you’ll now get real-time data on engagement metrics that previously weren’t tracked. Action: Opt into Shorts Ad Actions in your Video View campaigns to measure Shorts-driven results directly in your reports.

• 2

  Attributed Branded Searches reporting: Google Ads now globally tracks Attributed Branded Searches as a reporting metric, showing how many branded searches are triggered by ad impressions or views. Brands using this metric see an average $31 increase in sales for every additional branded search generated on Google. This feature bridges the gap between brand awareness and actual sales by linking ad performance to search behavior. For instance, a tech company running a brand campaign might notice a spike in branded searches after a video ad, indicating growing interest. Action: Enable Attributed Branded Searches in Google Ads to measure the real-world impact of your campaigns on consumer intent and sales.