YouTube: Measuring Incrementality, Crafting Effective Ads, and Driving Real Growth with Jordan West

Apr 3, 2025

Brett Curry, CEO and co-founder of OMG Commerce, dives into the transformative power of YouTube advertising. He reveals insights from a groundbreaking analysis showing YouTube's capability to drive significant growth beyond traditional metrics. Brett shares compelling case studies, including a drastic drop in sales when ads were paused and notable increases in store sales with targeted campaigns. He discusses the importance of crafting engaging ads, mastering the critical first five seconds, and using effective demonstrations to capture viewer attention.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Unlocking YouTube Advertising Success

02:34 • 16min

Navigating Marketing Measurement Challenges

18:41 • 4min

Driving Sales Through Targeted YouTube Advertising

22:42 • 6min

Mastering YouTube Ads

28:22 • 6min

Crafting Compelling Advertisements: Ideal Length and Engagement Strategies

34:10 • 2min

This is a recent recording from my appearance on Jordan West's podcast. There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the incrementally of YouTube after Haus Analytics revealed a groundbreaking report from 190 incrementally tests involving YouTube (link: https://www.haus.io/blog/do-youtube-ads-perform-lessons-from-190-incrementality-tests).

On this episode I share eye-opening case studies demonstrating how YouTube drives significant incremental growth - even when traditional attribution models fail to capture it. If you've been skeptical about YouTube's effectiveness or struggled to measure its impact, this conversation reveals why it might be the missing piece in your marketing strategy and how to approach it correctly.

Key Takeaways:

-Beyond Last-Click Attribution: Discover why obsessing over ROAS metrics can be misleading, and how YouTube drives significant business impact that often isn't captured in traditional attribution models but shows up dramatically in incrementality testing.

-The Real-World Proof: Brett shares compelling case studies, including a brand that saw Amazon sales cut in half when YouTube ads were paused, and another that achieved a 12-25% lift in Walmart store sales through targeted YouTube campaigns.

-The Anatomy of High-Converting YouTube Ads: Learn the essential elements of effective YouTube ads, including how to craft the perfect hook in the first 5 seconds, the importance of standard and "over-the-top" product demonstrations, and why 45-90 second videos often outperform shorter cuts.

-Production Value Matters: Unlike TikTok, YouTube requires slightly higher production quality (though not Super Bowl commercial level) - Brett explains the right balance and why combining polished footage with authentic UGC can be particularly powerful.

-Testing & Measurement Strategies: Get practical advice on how to properly measure YouTube's impact through geo tests, holdouts, search lift studies, and why tracking your overall MER (Media Efficiency Ratio) might be the simplest yet most effective approach.