YouTube have introduced a new app for businesses that makes it easy to create interesting and engaging video ads straight from their phone.

YouTube Director is an app that makes “it easier for every business – from a dog walker to a barber shop owner – to get started with advertising on YouTube”. The free app doesn’t require high tech equipment or any editing skills, just a smartphone with a camera and a quick download.

Inside the app you can select from a selection of ready-to-go templates that will guide you to creating your ad and introducing your business to new audiences. After selecting the template you shoot a selection of video clips to use in your ad. Then you can edit your video – adding text, some animations and music to turn it into a professional looking video ad. Once you’re happy with the result you can post your advert to YouTube and start promoting.

YouTube challenged 5 different business owners to create an ad in under 20 minutes, first with and then without the YouTube Director app. See the results:

https://youtu.be/ufI7su3KXng

YouTube haven’t just stopped there however. If you want to take your ad to the next step of professional simplicity YouTube have set up ‘YouTube Director onsite’ in certain US cities. YouTube Director onsite is a service that sends a professional filmmaker to record and edit your video ad. The best part is, the service is free to businesses that spend/have spent $150 or more on YouTube advertising. It is available in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., with more cities coming soon.

If you’re left wishing there was just one more cool, ad-creating feature then you’re in luck. Also new is ‘YouTube Director automated video’ which, if you have an app in the App Store or Google Play Store, will create a video advert for you automatically using your logo and screenshots. This feature is available globally and you can find out more from “a Google Expert” at 1-855-500-2756.

YouTube Director app ad creator for business

YouTube are the most popular video hosting website in the world with a growth in watch time increase of over 50% every year. With this giant audience also comes a lot of potential consumers, and it’s no secret how important ads are on YouTube to keeping the site and it’s creators running. That’s why YouTube want to help make it easier for businesses to create ads on their platform with YouTube Director.

The app is currently only available for iPhone in the US and Canada. Android app launches soon.