Target Specific YouTube Channels and Videos in Google Ads

Watch the step-by-step walkthrough to add YouTube channel and video placements to your Display campaign and show your ads exactly where your audience is watching.

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Step by Step

Target Specific YouTube Channels and Videos in Google Ads

Follow these steps alongside the video to add YouTube placements to your campaign.

1

Select your Display campaign

2

Navigate to Content, under Audiences, keywords and content

3

Select Content

4

Open the Placements drop-down menu

5

Select Websites and enter your YouTube channel or video URLs

  • To target a YouTube channel, paste its URL (e.g. youtube.com/c/channelname)
  • To target a specific video, paste the video URL (e.g. youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID)
  • Add as many placements as needed and click Save

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about placement targeting for YouTube channels and videos in Google Ads.

Can I target a specific YouTube channel with Google Ads?

Yes. Using placement targeting in a Display campaign, you can enter a YouTube channel URL as a placement. Your ads will then only appear on videos published by that channel. This is ideal for reaching audiences who regularly watch content from specific creators that are relevant to your product or service.

What is the difference between placement targeting and audience targeting?

Placement targeting controls where your ads appear — specific websites, apps, YouTube channels, or individual videos. Audience targeting controls who sees your ads based on interests, demographics, or past behaviour. You can combine both to reach the right people in the right context, for example: a cooking audience watching a specific recipe channel.

What campaign types support YouTube placement targeting?

YouTube placement targeting is available in Display campaigns (banner and responsive ads shown on YouTube) and Video campaigns (skippable and non-skippable video ads). For the most precise channel and video-level control, Display campaigns using the Placements section under Content are the most straightforward approach shown in this tutorial.

Can I exclude specific YouTube channels or videos?

Yes. Google Ads lets you exclude placements at the campaign or account level. Navigate to the same Content > Placements section and use the Exclusions tab to add channels or video URLs you don't want your ads to appear on. This is useful for blocking competitor channels, irrelevant content categories, or low-performing placements.

How many placements can I add to a campaign?

Google Ads allows up to 65,000 placements per ad group. In practice, a focused list of 5–20 highly relevant YouTube channels or videos tends to outperform large, unfocused placement lists. Start with your top-priority placements, monitor performance, and expand or prune based on impression and conversion data.

Will placement targeting restrict my reach too much?

It can, depending on how many placements you add and how popular those channels or videos are. If reach is a concern, consider using placements as an observation layer rather than targeting — this lets you track performance on specific channels without limiting your overall reach. Switch to targeting once you've identified which placements convert best.

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