Whether you’re creating YouTube ads for your small business or learning how to post on YouTube as a novice vlogger, there’s no denying the power of YouTube.

Now owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company, YouTube continues to captivate audiences — boasting over 2.3 billion monthly active users. That’s nearly a third of everyone in the world who uses the internet. (Whoa.)

Bookmark this guide as your go-to source for YouTube’s video ad specs, best times to post a video, and helpful tips to make your intro and outro videos stand out from the competition.

Table of contents

What you might not know about YouTube

Most YouTube users are from the United States. But, remember that YouTube is also extremely popular in other countries, like Brazil, the UK, China, and India. If you are not providing content in English, consider at least having English subtitles or transcription to make sure you are not missing out on a broader audience.

People from 18 to 34 years old spend more time watching YouTube than television. If your brand has a comparable audience, then spending time creating a strong YouTube strategy may be beneficial (and also a lot cheaper than creating TV ads) for your brand. 

YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine. The first largest is Google. But what that means is that search engine optimization (SEO) should be an essential part of your YouTube strategy. People tend to search for content directly on YouTube. An optimized title and an accurate description will drive more organic traffic to your content than a not so appealing title and a blank description, or funny, private joke.

There is an equal proportion of men and women on YouTube. Contrary to popular belief, YouTube users aren’t all single dudes. YouTube users are also more likely to have a college degree. If your brand speaks to a younger audience, you then better be on YouTube to make sure that you can reach them! YouTube users are a lot more diverse than they used to be. That means that you have an advantage over your average competitors. 

Youtube statistics

Unlike other social media sites, YouTube’s indexing algorithm isn’t instant. What this means is that, if you want a video to be searchable at a specific time (let’s say Friday evening), you need to upload that video a few hours earlier (so probably Friday afternoon). YouTube behaves more like a search engine than a social media platform.

While that doesn’t seem like an advantage at first, this means you can still grow and reach people through optimization and by posting relevant content at the right time instead of only having to rely on growing a following.

YouTube video ad specs

What are the main types of YouTube ads? Here are six you should know about.

Sponsored cards

These 1:1 cards appear on the right corner of the video you’re currently watching. Sponsored cards can be either 15 or 20 seconds in length. The sponsored card may include links to sponsored products within the video, or other paid content.

  • Aspect Ratio: 1:1
  • Format: PNG, JPG, GIF
  • Size: 2MB max

Display ads

Display ads typically live on the top right-hand side of your video above your list of algorithmically-suggested videos. They mostly exist on desktop, not mobile devices. These can include a maximum of 30 seconds of animation.

  • Pixels 300 x 250
  • File format: GIF, JPG, PNG
  • Size: max 150 KB

Overlay ads

The overlay is a common ad format where a simple image or GIF with minimal movement lays over the bottom of your video screen. It’s designed to take up less than 20% of a desktop video’s real estate, so it’s consider a less invasive YouTube ad format.

  • Pixels: 480 x 70
  • File format: GIF, PNG, JPG
  • Size: max 150 KB

Unskippable bumper ads

These play before you can watch a video. Bumper ads can be skipped after six seconds of watch time, and they are used widely on both mobile and desktop YouTube videos.

  • Pixels: 300×60
  • File format: JPG, PNG, GIF (static)
  • Size: max 1 KB

TrueView video ads

TrueView video ads appear on YouTube search results and the mobile and desktop “Watch” pages. These video ads must be 30 frames per second (FPS). Clicking on the ad will take you into its own watching experience, like another channel page.

  • Pixels: 640×360 or 480×360
  • File format: AVI, ASF, Quicktime, Windows Media, MP4 or MPEG
  • Size: max 1 GB
  • Accepted aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9

TrueView video ads also require specific features like a headline text and description. Thumbnails are auto-generated, and you have to contact Google if you want to include a custom thumbnail. The videos also need to be listed as “public” or “unlisted” for the ad to run. Other requirements include:

  • Headline text: max 25 characters
  • Description text: allowed to be two lines, and each line is allowed max 35 characters
  • Video URL: needs to be a YouTube hosted URL

In-stream TrueView ads

This type of TrueView ad can run on desktop, mobile apps, connected TVs, and other sites in Google’s Display Network (GDN). You can also create this type of ad within Google Ads directly.

  • Pixels: 640×360 or 480×360
  • File format: AVI, ASF, Quicktime, Windows Media, MP4 or MPEG
  • Maximum file size: 1GB
  • Aspect ratio: 4:3, 16:9
  • Recommended minimum length: 12 seconds
  • Recommended maximum length: less than 3 minutes

These ads also must exist as a public, unlisted video on YouTube and must allow embedding in order to be used as a TrueView ad. You can configure these features in your ad settings. You should also always specify a call-to-action to encourage click-through to your website.

  • CTA text: 10 characters (required field)
  • Headline text: 15 characters max

What’s the best time to upload a video on YouTube? 

Even if YouTube is more watched than TV by a younger segment of the population, the watching habits are roughly the same. To give you an example: people tend to watch YouTube mostly in the evening and on the weekend, peaking on Sunday.

Try to post a few hours before these peak hours so that your video can become searchable and can perform better. Keep in mind that the searchability is a significant factor on YouTube since YouTube is behaving more like a search engine rather than a social media platform.

There is one exception about the evening posting, which is for Sunday. On Sundays, videos that were posted earlier usually performed best (we’re talking approx. 9 am EST).

Since Sunday is the best days for views and more YouTubers and marketers are posting, the competition is higher. By posting earlier than everyone else, you can start building views and make your video seem relevant to the algorithm before it gets lost in the outstanding amount of content that will be posted later on in the day. 

It’s kind of like social media in that you want to post when the most people are using the site, but at the same time, you don’t want your content to be lost in the crazy amount of content that is posted daily. That’s why posting a few hours before rush time can be beneficial.

Of course, posting a little earlier than everyone else is not the only thing that will make you get views, and that will make you go viral. But it’s a simple way to make sure that your content will be seen and appreciated by your audience and by other users on the platform before it gets lost in the middle of highly popular videos released by video studios or famous influencers.

By posting earlier, you’re making it easier to build a community and a base of loyal watchers, and that’s what YouTube is all about.

How to post on YouTube

Now that you know when is the best time to upload a YouTube video, let’s get back to basics – how to even post a video on YouTube at all. You might be a Vimeo user who doesn’t know the ins and outs of YouTube, so here’s your step-by-step guide.

First of all, you’re going to need a Google account to post anything on Youtube. Once you’re logged in, click on the upper right corner on the little video camera icon and select “Upload a video”. 

Then you’ll see the uploading screen. Drag and drop a video or select a file from your computer and upload it.

After your file is uploaded, you’ll have to fill the video’s title and description and to pick a thumbnail (you can also upload an independent thumbnail that’s not a frame from the video).

You also can add your video to a playlist and you’ll be requested to declare if your video is suitable for kids. You can also give additional information like tags, language and more.

The next step is a screen that offers you “Video elements”. From here you can add an end screen (a promotional screen at the end of your video) and cards (content “stickers” on top of your video”.

If you’ll skip adding video elements, you’ll enter the visibility screen, where you can choose who will be able to see your video and when. That one’s important – so pay attention.

Once your video is published, embed or share to social media platforms.

How to create a captivating YouTube intro

While not all YouTube creators use an introduction clip, we encourage you to consider creating your own for your channel for a few different reasons: to stand out, appear more professional, and to create consistency. 

Benefits of having a YouTube intro video

  • Give viewers a sense of familiarity and connection to your content. A good intro clip should give your viewers context and a general understanding of the type of content they can expect to find in your channel.
  • It’s an essential branding move. A YouTube intro video can also benefit you by becoming an essential part of your branding efforts. It can help you create a specific aesthetic to your channel. It can make your videos recognizable and give viewers a sense of your videos – is it a lifestyle channel? Techy? Professional? The look and feel of your intro video will set the tone for your channel.
  • It helps to communicate more clearly with your subscribers. Use your YouTube intro video to share important information with your viewers – your social media handles, website address, or any other important details.

What is a YouTube intro video?

Your YouTube intro is a short clip that opens each video from the same channel. Think of it as a TV show opening – it gives the viewer orientation, contributes to the channel’s branding, and sets the tone for the video.

Make a YouTube intro video

YouTube intro video tips and tricks

Keep it short.

As their name suggests, intro videos should be a little introduction before the actual video begins – and that’s it. Keep it below 10 seconds to keep your viewers intrigued, interested, and focused. 

Brand it.

Use your logo, brand colors, and fonts. If you don’t have a color palette or fonts identified with your brand or channel, it’s about time! With time, viewers will start recognizing your channel from the first seconds of your videos, and that’s what every creator aspires to. 

Consider a tagline.

Perhaps starting your videos with a tagline or a quote that will set the tone for your videos is a good idea for your channel. For example, if you run a fitness YouTube channel, an inspirational quote that reflects your values and approach can be a great fit. 

Music matters.

Upbeat or chill, instrumental or electronic – the music you’ll choose to accompany your intro video will set the whole video’s vibe. Give thought not only to the music but also to make sure the transition between the intro music to the video itself is smooth.

YouTube intro video templates we love

Want to keep it simple? Start with the always-appropriate “Welcome to my Channel” intro card. Customize with your branding, then voila: your intro is ready to use in minutes.

Try this template

Get creative with your intro card’s style and theme. This is a chance to stand out and capture viewers’ attention immediately, like this with this template of colorful 3D bouncing shapes.

Try this template

We’re sure you’ve heard — the real estate market is on fire, and video content is fanning the flames. If you’re an agent looking to stand out in a crowded, competitive marketing, gaining a following on YouTube can increase your brand recognition and put your agency top of mind.

Try this template

Are you a beauty YouTuber or lifestyle blogger? Your intro card is the perfect opportunity for, well, an intro! Tell potential subscribers who you are, peel back the curtain, and share what types of content they can expect from you — whether that’s OOTD’s, makeup tutorials, or skincare routines.

Try this template

We have ready-made YouTube templates for every niche or channel interest, like this one for bakers, which can even include the type of recipe a particular episode is focused on. (Bonus: use as a stellar, click-worthy YouTube thumbnail!)

Try this template

What about YouTube outro videos?

A YouTube outro video can be equally important, acting as a bookend on each of your videos. Like an intro video, this establishes consistency and gives the viewer a next action — whether that’s watching another video, liking and subscribing, or hitting the comment section.

Make your YouTube intro and outro videos shine with personality, but keep them consistent. You wouldn’t want your outro to behave completely differently than your intro. Your followers wouldn’t even think they were watching the same channel!

YouTube outro video templates we love

This fully customizable “Thanks for watching!” outro video is simple, effective, and speaks directly to your audience, all while set against a sleek marble backdrop. It also includes a built-in call-to-action for viewers to subscribe.

Try this template

Don’t forget to give viewers’ an idea of how often you produce and publish content. There’s nothing worse than a channel that promises new content weekly and then…crickets. Bypass misleading your subscribers with a template like this, which shares exactly when you should expect new episodes.

Try this template

Using YouTube for streaming? Keep fellow streamers in the loop with this playful template while they wait for the stream to start.

Try this template

Remember — you don’t have to take yourself too seriously to build a community on YouTube. Harken people back to early internet days with this fun, meme-like outro.

Try this template

Of course, the outro is always an opportunity to plug your channel and encourage subscriptions. Use enticing footage (from our unlimited stock library or your own!) that leaves a strong visual impression. This is where looks matter.

Try this template

So…what’s the best time to post on YouTube?

You can’t go wrong by posting every weekday at around 3 pm EST. This way, your video will have time to reach your audience, and it will have time to become searchable.

On the weekend, try posting earlier. Because Saturdays and Sundays (especially Sundays) usually provide more views, YouTubers tend to post more on the weekend. It might be smart to post earlier (like 9 am EST) so that your video doesn’t get lost in a sea of content.

Putting it all together

In 2005, YouTube was defining what it meant for videos to go viral. By 2020, it was the world’s second largest search engine. Call it a glow up.

With Vimeo Create, you’re able to make YouTube ads, intro videos, and stunning outros for your channel quickly and effectively, upping your video output without sacrificing high quality.

Reach your slice of the pie (and then some) with customized YouTube ads designed and optimized for publication on the platform.

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