YouTube gains access to Google account data for ad targeting, teases new measurement solution

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Google-owned YouTube made several announcements on Friday. The most immediate update is that Google account data can now be used for ad targeting and measurement across search and YouTube. The changes come as over 50 percent of YouTube views now happen on mobile.

Google user account data now used for YouTube targeting

A little over a year ago, Google folded the YouTube advertising interface into AdWords. Now it’s taking further steps to integrate targeting and measurement across search and video campaigns. Ads on YouTube will now be able to use data such as demographic and search behavior information from users signed into Google. As an example, a retailer could show a user who searches for a winter coat an ad on Google and then target that same user with ads when they are on YouTube.

Additionally, Google says it is expanding ways that Customer Match targeting can be used on YouTube: “For example, that same retail advertiser could reach customers that signed up to receive special offers in their stores.” We’ll bring you more details when we have them on that.

With the ad targeting getting fused, when a user opts to mute ads from an advertiser in Google search, the ads will also be muted in YouTube. That change will roll out in the coming weeks.

Moving away from cookies: Teasing a new cloud-based measurement solution

With desktop use now trailing mobile, Google says it will “be limiting the use of cookies and pixels in YouTube starting this year.” Instead, like Facebook, Twitter and others, Google will be relying more on signed-in user IDs and mobile identifiers. Google is aiming to streamline YouTube measurement across screens, including televisions.

Google announced it will be working on a cloud-based measurement solution over the next year in collaboration with third-party vendors including comScore, DoubleVerify, IAS, MOAT and Nielsen.

“With this new solution, advertisers will have access to more detailed insights from their YouTube campaigns across devices, so they can better understand the impact of their campaigns on their highest-value customers. For instance, a car manufacturer could get a rich understanding of how YouTube ads across devices influenced a specific audience (like previous SUV buyers).”