KBR Education Engine

YouTube & Video Buying in 2025 (NZ Edition)

A forward-looking guide to planning, buying, and measuring high-performance video across YouTube, CTV, and social video in New Zealand.

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Why Video Still Leads

Attention & recall

Video outperforms text for retention; multi-format plans lift results.

YouTube scale in NZ

~4M monthly users; strongest reach among 18–39s.

Format evolution

Skippable, bumper, CTV, vertical Shorts — plan together for impact.

Automation

AI-assisted targeting and creative testing improve efficiency.

NZ landscape and benefits summarised from early pages of the guide. (pp.2–3)

The Video Landscape in NZ

  • YouTube: largest platform by views and session time.
  • BVOD growth: TVNZ/ThreeNow/Neon up strongly YoY.
  • Social video: short-form vertical accelerating.
  • CTV: fast household penetration; TV-style viewing with digital targeting. (p.3)

Key YouTube Formats

Skippable In-Stream

Pay at 30s/engagement; storytelling. (p.4)

Non-Skippable (≤15s)

Guaranteed delivery; higher CPM; big impact. (p.4)

Bumper (6s)

Efficient reach/frequency; reinforcement. (p.4)

Shorts (vertical)

High engagement on mobile; 15–20s sweet spot. (pp.4,12)

YouTube Select offers curated, brand-safe lineups for premium impact. (p.4)

Buying via Google Ads & DV360

  • Google Ads: fast setup; best for single-market YouTube buys.
  • DV360: YouTube + open-web video, advanced deals, robust reporting.
  • Programmatic: custom targeting, sequencing, and DCO.
  • Measurement: brand lift, VCR/VTR, conversion tracking. (p.5)

Audience Targeting on YouTube

Affinity

Long-term interests; great for awareness.

In-Market

Active research signals; lower-funnel.

Custom

Keywords/URLs/apps blended for precision.

Demo + Geo

Layer for NZ postcodes/regions.

1P Lists

Customer Match for CRM retargeting/LLAs. (p.6)

Creative Best Practices

  • Brand in first 5s to capture attention early.
  • Caption for sound-off environments.
  • Match message to funnel (awareness → decision).
  • Explicit CTA in final 3s; A/B test hooks/lengths/callouts. (p.7)

Video Length Guidelines

6s

Bumpers for broad awareness.

15s

Recall-friendly, non-skippable options.

30s

Story/demo for consideration.

60s+

Education/brand films; best in premium lineups. (p.8)

CTV vs Mobile vs Desktop

  • CTV: long watch time, high VCR; no clicks — upper-funnel wins.
  • Mobile: biggest reach; concise/vertical creative.
  • Desktop: stronger CTR/CVR for complex decisions. (p.9)

KPIs to Monitor

VTR

Engagement past 30s.

VCR

Completion rate.

CPV

Efficiency of viewed impressions.

Impression Share

Eligible reach coverage.

Layer in Brand Lift (recall, consideration, purchase intent) for attitudinal impact. (p.10)

Sequencing & Storytelling

  • Narrative flow: intro → product → offer.
  • Mix formats: video + display + text; consistent branding.
  • Build frequency with variety to avoid fatigue. (p.11)

YouTube Shorts Strategy

  • Design vertical 9:16; mobile-first.
  • Hook in first 1s; native/lo-fi often wins.
  • Keep ~15–20s for best completion. (p.12)

Premium Impact: YouTube Select & Masthead

  • Select: curated, brand-safe top channels; higher CPM, stronger brand lift.
  • Masthead: homepage takeover across devices; launch-ready reach. (p.13)

Creative Testing Approach

  • Test hooks/messages/CTAs and multiple lengths.
  • Read results by audience, placement, device.
  • Optimise weekly on VTR, CTR, drop-offs. (p.14)

Attention & Viewability

  • Use MOAT/DoubleVerify for attention beyond views.
  • Optimise for attention per second, not VTR alone.
  • Apply findings to placements/length/format. (p.15)

Full-Funnel Integration

Awareness

Bumpers, Shorts, non-skippable.

Consideration

15–30s explainers, testimonials, demos.

Conversion

Sequential ads, overlays, promo codes, lead forms. (p.16)

Mistakes to Avoid

  • One cut-down for every platform.
  • No mobile/vertical optimisation.
  • Reading VTR without context.
  • No brand/message in first 5s. (p.17)

NZ Market Watch-outs

  • Small audiences = faster fatigue → refresh assets more often.
  • Manage retargeting frequency to avoid burnout.
  • Localise pricing/product to NZ.
  • Monitor DV360 pacing; widen targets during low volume. (p.18)

How KBR Supports Video Buying

YouTube & CTV strategy

Audience/format plans, budget models, and forecasting.

Creative review & sequencing

Format optimisation, storytelling, and A/B frameworks.

DV360/Google Ads management

Trafficking, bidding, frequency/placement optimisation.

Reporting with attention analysis

MOAT/DV integration, attribution, competitive benchmarks. (p.19)

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