YouTube ads: what they cost and what works

Summary: what does advertising on YouTube cost?

Advertising on YouTube has no fixed price. You choose a daily budget in Google Ads, and what you pay per view or per 1,000 impressions depends on your audience, your video and the competition in the auction. According to Google, you convert a monthly budget into a daily budget by dividing by 30.4. A daily budget of €10 is therefore about €304 per month. At Game-changers, YouTube campaigns fall under Google advertising, from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee. You pay your ad budget directly to Google. Request a free analysis.

• Price: no fixed price, you choose your daily budget and can always change it.
• Paying: with skippable ads only after 30 seconds of viewing or a click.
• Budget: €10 per day is about €304 per month, Google works with 30.4 days.
• Does it work?: measure leads and sales, not just views.

What does advertising on YouTube cost?

You only pay for your ads, and you decide how much. In Google Ads you set an average daily budget per campaign, which according to Google you can change at any time. There is no fixed rate per view: the price is set in an auction, just like with search ads. Also read what Google Ads costs. According to Ahrefs, Dutch people search about 350 times a month for “youtube adverteren” and about 170 times in total for variants with “kosten” (costs).

How much budget you need depends on your goal. If you mainly want awareness, you buy reach and pay per 1,000 impressions. If you want leads or sales, the algorithm needs enough conversions to learn from, which usually takes more budget and good measurement. It is better to start with a small test and scale what works than with a large budget without measurement.

When do you pay for a YouTube ad?

That differs per format. Google Ads Help describes the main formats and how costs are calculated.

1. Skippable in-stream

Plays before, during or after a video, and viewers can skip after 5 seconds. With per-view bidding you only pay when someone watches 30 seconds (or the whole video if shorter) or clicks your ad.

2. Non-skippable in-stream

Up to 60 seconds and cannot be skipped. You pay per 1,000 impressions.

3. Bumper

A short video of 5 to 6 seconds that cannot be skipped. Here too you pay per 1,000 impressions. Useful for repeating a message often and cheaply.

4. In-feed

A thumbnail with text in YouTube’s search results and feeds. You pay when someone clicks to watch the video.

5. Shorts

Ads between YouTube Shorts. With per-view bidding a view counts after 10 seconds of viewing, a click or a like, comment or share.

How does advertising on YouTube work?

You advertise on YouTube through Google Ads. You upload your video to YouTube, and in Google Ads you choose a campaign with a goal, such as sales, leads, website traffic or reach. Google then chooses the formats and placements within your settings. Video ads can also appear on websites and apps of Google’s partners. This is how we approach it, in five steps.

1. Goal

First we choose what the campaign should do: awareness, traffic or leads. That determines the campaign type and how you pay.

2. Audience

We define who you want to reach and where, for example by interests, search behaviour or visitors to your website.

3. Video

The first seconds must stick, because after that people can skip. You do not always need a new production: short videos you already use on social media can often be reused. Need help with the material? See AI content creation.

4. Campaign

We choose the format, bidding strategy and daily budget, and start with a test large enough to learn from.

5. Measure

We measure enquiries, appointments and sales in GA4 and Google Ads. Without good measurement you steer on views instead of customers. Also use our tracking and GA4 checklist.

Why advertise on YouTube?

Because Dutch viewers trust YouTube and discover products there. In a survey by Google and Kantar from spring 2025, published by Google, 75% of Dutch YouTube viewers surveyed saw YouTube as the most trusted video platform. The average for other platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, was 67%. Also, 67% said creators on YouTube help them research and discover products. Already advertising on Meta? Then also read what Instagram advertising costs, as your short videos can often be used on both platforms.

Our research: what Google shows for “youtube adverteren kosten”

On 9 November 2026 we used DataForSEO to look at the search results for “youtube adverteren kosten” (YouTube advertising costs) in Google Netherlands. At the top was an AI answer with prices per view and per 1,000 impressions, based on agency estimates. Of the 9 regular results, 5 were explanations, a blog or a video, 3 were an agency or freelancer service page, and 1 was a Google tool. Only 1 result showed a price for the work itself, and 2 results dated from 2021 or 2022. So searchers mainly see estimates. That is why we give Google’s rules and our own price here, not estimates.

What does it deliver?

YouTube works best as part of a bigger whole. At Rug expertise centrum we connected Meta, YouTube and Google in one funnel, making visible how each touchpoint contributed to every booked consultation. At CrossFit Climbers Cabin the cost per lead fell from €55 to €9 with Google advertising. In both cases measurement was the foundation; that is why data and tracking is included as standard in every advertising service we offer.

“On YouTube you win or lose in the first seconds. That is why we usually make a few short versions of the same message and let the numbers decide. And we do not steer on views, but on what happens next: an enquiry, an appointment or a sale.”

Annefleur van Osta

Online marketing strategist at Game-changers

What does YouTube advertising cost at Game-changers?

At Game-changers, YouTube campaigns fall under Google advertising. That service starts from €500 per month excl. VAT, for which we work at least 4 hours per month for you. Your ad budget goes directly to Google. If you combine it with social media advertising, it becomes cheaper, and data and tracking is included as standard. There is no set-up fee. Request a free analysis. Still unsure whether to do it yourself? Then also read about outsourcing marketing.

Frequently asked questions about YouTube advertising

What does advertising on YouTube cost?

There is no fixed price: you choose a daily budget and the price per view is set in an auction. A daily budget of €10 is about €304 per month, because Google works with 30.4 days. What you pay per view depends on your audience, your video and the competition.

How does advertising on YouTube work?

You upload your video to YouTube and create a campaign in Google Ads with a goal, such as leads, traffic or reach. You choose your audience and daily budget, and Google shows your ad within those settings. Then you measure and improve based on results.

Why advertise on YouTube?

Because Dutch viewers trust YouTube and discover products there. In a survey by Google and Kantar, 75% of Dutch YouTube viewers saw YouTube as the most trusted video platform. Video also lets you show more than a text ad.

How do you advertise on YouTube?

Through Google Ads. You link your YouTube channel, choose a video campaign and a goal, and set your audience, format and daily budget. Make sure your measurement is ready before you start.

When do you pay for a YouTube ad?

With skippable in-stream ads and per-view bidding you only pay after 30 seconds of viewing or a click. With bumpers and non-skippable ads you pay per 1,000 impressions. With in-feed ads you pay when someone clicks to watch the video.

What are YouTube bumper ads?

Bumper ads are short videos of 5 to 6 seconds that viewers cannot skip. You pay per 1,000 impressions. They are useful for repeating a short message often or reinforcing other ads.

How long can a YouTube ad be?

That depends on the format. A bumper is 6 seconds, a non-skippable ad up to 60 seconds. There is no maximum for skippable ads, but Google recommends under 3 minutes.

What is the minimum budget for YouTube advertising?

You choose your daily budget yourself and can always change it. With a small budget you can test, but for leads or sales the algorithm needs enough conversions to learn from. So start with a test and scale what works.

Can you outsource YouTube ads?

Yes. A specialist or agency sets up the campaigns, chooses formats and audiences and improves them based on the numbers. At Game-changers, YouTube falls under Google advertising, including measurement of leads and sales.

What does outsourcing YouTube advertising cost?

At Game-changers it costs from €500 per month excl. VAT, with at least 4 hours of work per month. You pay your ad budget directly to Google, and there is no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.

What does a YouTube ads agency do?

An agency defines the goal with you, chooses audiences and formats, sets up the campaigns and measures what they deliver. It then tests new videos and shifts budget to what works. Make sure the agency steers on leads and sales, not just on views.

Do I need to have a video made for YouTube ads?

Not always. Short videos you already use for social media can often be reused, for example for Shorts. Strong first seconds and a clear message matter more than an expensive production.

Can you advertise on YouTube Shorts?

Yes. Shorts ads appear between Shorts videos and viewers can swipe them away immediately. With per-view bidding a view counts after 10 seconds of viewing or a click, like, comment or share.

Is YouTube advertising suitable for small businesses?

Yes, because you choose your own budget and can test small. It works best when you know what a customer is worth and your measurement is in order. Then you quickly see whether YouTube adds something to your other channels.

How do you measure whether YouTube advertising works?

With conversions in Google Ads and GA4: enquiries, appointments and sales. Look at the cost per lead or per sale, not just views. The effect on searches for your brand also says a lot.

Do you need a course to advertise on YouTube?

No, but you need to know Google Ads well to avoid wasting budget. Most mistakes are in the audience, the measurement and the page viewers land on. If you do it yourself, test small and measure everything.

Sources

Google Ads Help, About video ad formats

viewed 9 November 2026

Google Ads Help, Set and change an average daily budget for your campaign

viewed 9 November 2026

Google, Video campaigns with YouTube ads (Google/Kantar, Future of Video, 2025)

viewed 9 November 2026

DataForSEO SERP API, own measurement Google Netherlands

9 November 2026

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Dutch search volume

9 November 2026

Game-changers, client results

November 2026