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advertise on YouTube

How Dental Practices Can Advertise on YouTube in 10 Steps

Why Advertise on YouTube?

As one of the world’s largest search engines and the #1 platform for video content, YouTube presents a major opportunity for dental practices to expand their reach. With over 2 billion logged-in monthly users, it’s a powerful channel to build brand awareness, attract new patients, and showcase your expertise. YouTube is also a highly visual platform, which aligns perfectly with the nature of dentistry—where trust, aesthetics, and patient education matter.

Here are a few reasons dentists should consider YouTube advertising:

  • Wider Reach: Reach potential patients in your local area with video content and mobile-friendly ad placements.
  • Influence Patient Decisions: Over 70% of users report making purchasing decisions after watching a YouTube ad.
  • Reinforce Your Brand: Highlight your practice’s values, services, and environment through engaging visuals.
  • Insightful Data: YouTube analytics reveal where viewers drop off and what drives engagement and behavior.
  • Remarketing Potential: Retarget website visitors or people who have watched your videos, increasing conversion potential through lead generation.

How Much Do YouTube Ads Cost?

Like Google Ads, the cost of YouTube advertising varies based on your bidding strategy, target audience, and video length. On average:

  • Cost per thousand impressions (CPM / Cost per mille): $4 to $10
  • Daily Budget: Most dental practices spend between $10 to $50 per day
  • 100,000 Views: Can cost approximately $2,000 depending on your targeting and format

Pro Tip: Focus on targeted geographic areas around your practice to reduce costs and boost return on investment (ROI).

Keep in mind that bidding models like cost per view, cost per action, and cost per impression all play into final advertising campaign performance.

Types of YouTube Ads

YouTube offers several ad formats tailored to different goals:

  • Skippable In-Stream Ads: Play before/during/after a video; viewers can skip after 5 seconds.
  • Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads: Up to 15 seconds long and must be watched in full.
  • Bumper Ads: Non-skippable, 6-second clips great for brand awareness.
  • In-Feed Video Ads: Appear in YouTube search results and suggested videos.
  • Outstream Ads: Mobile-only ads on partner sites (not on YouTube itself).
  • Overlay Ads: Static image or text ads that appear on videos (desktop only).
  • YouTube Shorts Ads: Vertical video ads served during Shorts playback.

Choosing the Right Ad Format

Dental marketers should consider the ad format based on campaign goals:

  • Want more brand awareness? Try bumper ads, YouTube Shorts, or masthead ads.
  • Want more conversions or lead generation? Go with skippable in-stream ads using a strong call to action (CTA).

Key YouTube Advertising Metrics

Understanding performance is crucial to maximize your video marketing strategy. Focus on these key metrics:

  • Views: Triggered when a user watches 30 seconds or more.
  • Impressions: Counts every time your ad is seen.
  • Earned Actions: Includes likes, shares, comments, and channel subscriptions.
  • View-Through Rate (VTR): Measures engagement (views/impressions).
  • Cross-Device Conversions: Track when users view on one device and convert on another.
  • Cost per Action (CPA) and Click-Through Rate (CTR): Helpful for evaluating efficiency.

You can only remarket to users who “viewed” your ad, not just those who saw it. So, skippable in-stream and in-feed ads are your best bet for building remarketing lists and audience behavior tracking.

How to Advertise on YouTube in 10 Steps

1. Create a Campaign in Google Ads

Start in your Google Ads account and select “Video” as the campaign type. For simplicity, choose “Create a campaign without a goal’s guidance.”

2. Choose Your Campaign Subtype

Select the subtype that best aligns with your objective—”Custom video campaign” is usually a good starting point for dentists.

3. Set Your Bidding Strategy

Depending on your advertising campaign goals, choose from:

  • Max CPV (Cost Per View)
  • Target CPM (Cost Per Mille)
  • Maximize Conversions or CPA Bidding

4. Choose Networks for Ad Placement

For most dental practices, keep ads limited to YouTube Search and YouTube Videos. Deselect Video Partners on the Display Network to maintain brand safety and tighter targeting.

5. Select Content Exclusions

Use “Standard Inventory” to avoid sensitive content. This ensures your brand appears in safe, contextually appropriate environments.

6. Add Related Videos (Optional)

Boost engagement by including other videos from your YouTube channel. This improves your YouTube campaign visibility and consumer experience.

7. Define Your Targeting

Use demographic filters, custom intent audiences, and location settings to reach your target market. Focus on behaviors, search terms, and mobile device usage.

8. Create Your Ad

Upload your video to YouTube and link it in your campaign. You can choose formats like vertical video, bumper ads, or trueview ads depending on your goals.

9. Set Your Bid

Start with a bid of $0.05 to $0.10 per view. Monitor the performance of your Google Ads campaign and adjust based on audience response and campaign goals.

10. Measure Success

Review your performance using Google Ads and YouTube Studio. Key metrics like return on investment (ROI), impressions, cost, and earned actions help optimize future video marketing YouTube strategies.

How to Create Great YouTube Ads (The ABCD Method)

YouTube’s ABCD framework helps create effective and memorable video ads:

A – Attract

Hook viewers in the first 5 seconds with compelling visuals, bold statements, or vertical video formatting designed for mobile apps.

B – Brand

Introduce your dental practice immediately through visuals, narration, or logo placement to reinforce your brand.

C – Connect

Appeal to the emotions of your target audience using testimonials, office imagery, and positive customer experiences.

D – Direct

Use a call to action that drives users to your landing page—e.g., “Book Your Appointment,” or “Call Now.” Promote your YouTube video free by encouraging likes, shares, and subscriptions.

Example: A 15-second trueview ad showing smiling patients, a modern office image, and a voiceover from the dentist inviting viewers to book a consultation.

Your Next Step to Smarter Video Marketing

YouTube ads give dental practices a powerful way to connect with their target market. By following this YouTube advertising guide, you can launch a campaign that builds visibility, drives conversions, and elevates your brand.

At ProSites, we support dentists with digital marketing solutions that include SEO, Google Ads, and fully managed Facebook advertising. Ready to boost revenue with smarter online advertising?Schedule your free consultation today and let us help you deliver better customer experiences through video marketing.