Podcast Summary: Marketing Operators – "The Untapped Potential of YouTube Ads – Strategy, Measurement & What Drives Results with Brett Curry"

Podcast: Marketing Operators
Hosts: Connor Rolain, Connor MacDonald, Cody Plofker
Guest: Brett Curry, CEO of OMG Commerce
Release Date: September 9, 2025
Episode Theme: A deep dive into YouTube Ads, including strategy, measurement, creative, and what actually drives results for brands.

Overview

This episode features Brett Curry from OMG Commerce, renowned for his expertise in YouTube and Google Ads. The hosts grill Brett on maximizing YouTube for both DTC and omni-channel brands. The discussion is rich with actionable insights on account structure, creative best practices, measurement complexities, and the untapped potential of YouTube as an advertising platform.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brett Curry’s Background & Perspective on YouTube

• From traditional to digital: Brett started in radio, then TV, and became an early adopter of digital channels like SEO and Google Ads, finally bringing his knack for direct response into YouTube.
  "I fell in love with TV first and then like search. And then when I saw YouTube I was like, wait a minute, this is like all my world's coming together." – Brett Curry [00:00]
• OMG Commerce: Founded in 2010, shifted focus to e-commerce and YouTube in 2016, now a top spender on YouTube among similar-sized agencies [10:23].

2. YouTube as the Modern TV

• YouTube’s streaming dominance: 50–65% of all YouTube views are now on smart TVs. YouTube has more TV views than Netflix and Hulu combined.
  • "YouTube now has more TV views than Netflix and Hulu. They're almost double the market share of Netflix, which is crazy." – Brett Curry [14:05]
• Multi-generational audience: From children to seniors, everyone is on YouTube.
• Unique impact: Ads on YouTube/TV create brand legitimacy and memorability.

3. User Consumption Modes

• Search: The #2 search engine in the world; people search for “how-to” and product reviews directly on YouTube.
• Streaming: TV-like experience, ideal for “TV-style” creative.
• Scrolling: Mobile/desktop app usage.
• Multiple viewers per impression: TV ads often reach groups, multiplying impact.

4. Measurement & Attribution Complexities

• Challenge: Low direct click-through rates, especially on TV. YouTube is far more view-based than Meta.
  • "People don't generally click on YouTube ads. It's got less than half the average click through rate of Meta." – Brett Curry [16:22]
• YouTube’s 'Lift Trifecta':
  1. Sales Lift (Incrementality): Use incrementality tests to gauge true impact. Google underreports conversions by ~70%.
     • “If you're seeing a one row as in platform on YouTube, it’s probably a 3.4.” – Brett Curry [26:23]
  2. Search Lift: Measuring increases in brand search volume after ads run (measured by Google with scientific studies).
     • “We drove like 230% search lift of branded search lift.” – Brett Curry [24:28]
  3. Brand Lift: In-platform surveys show changes in awareness and consideration, can help compare creatives.
• Attribution workaround: Some brands run YouTube in a separate Google Ads account to get more accurate reporting, though recent Google updates claim to fix some attribution gaps [34:38].

5. The Halo Effect of YouTube

• YouTube ads, particularly upper funnel ones, cause measurable sales lifts on Amazon, retail, and other channels.
  • “For every 1 D2C sale on Shopify, we're getting two on Amazon … When we paused YouTube, we saw branded search on Amazon get cut in half.” – Brett Curry [29:47]

6. YouTube’s Scale & Untapped Opportunity

• YouTube’s scale is almost “unlimited”—it can go far beyond other emerging platforms.
• "When I ask for a show of hands, like, hey, who's advertising on YouTube, it's almost always less than 15% of the audience... So it's still this untapped opportunity." – Brett Curry [28:44]

Tactical Deep Dive

Account Structure, Strategy & Bidding

• Smart bidding dominates: Use Maximize Conversions or Maximize Conversion Value, but add a Target CPA or ROAS for control.
  • "Adding those parameters allows you to scale with more confidence. It keeps the campaigns from going off the rails." – Brett Curry [48:41]
• Audiences:
  • Build based on Google/YouTube search behavior (e.g., competitor searchers, category searchers).
  • Use ‘Optimized Targeting’—signals the algorithm but allows for broader reach.
  • Lookalikes now effective in YouTube Demand Gen.
• Demand Gen campaigns: The evolution of Video Action, now with more control but needs careful setup to avoid unwanted inventory.
  • "Don’t just run Demand gen without making sure you get your settings right ... start with just the best inventory on YouTube." – Brett Curry [50:09]
• Device placements: Keep all devices on. TV is now the biggest, do not exclude.

YouTube vs. Meta: Creative & Testing

• Fewer creatives, longer shelf-life: Start with 3–10 videos per launch instead of an endless churn like on Meta.
  • "YouTube does not … require the same volume of creative, and if you find a winner, it can scale further." – Connor [63:37]
  • “Top spenders, the winners last at least a year. … For launch, we recommend like 3 to 10 creatives tops.” – Brett Curry [65:11]
• Creative Structure (“Movie Trailer” Arc):
  1. Immediate, powerful hook (first 5 sec): Must grab attention before skip option.
     • “You've got five seconds. That magic window where people are hovering over the skip button and if you don't get them, they're going to move on.” – Brett Curry [57:34]
  2. Sustain engagement (next 6–12 sec): Keep interest, introduce product/problem.
  3. Storytelling/messaging: Social proof, objection-busting, or demo.
  4. Clear CTA: The directive needs to match your actual conversion goal (in-store, online, etc.).
     • “What you ask people to do is what they're going to do and if you don't ask them, they're not going to do it.” – Brett Curry [61:18]
• Authenticity over polish: High-concept “mashups” of influencer/UGC often outperform slick, highly-produced creative.
  • "One of our best ads for an automotive brand was just a mashup of influencer content and real users ... always the winner for them." – Brett Curry [62:27]
• Partnership ads: Running ads from creator handles (e.g. Marques Brownlee) can be very effective.

Creative Metrics: What to Analyze

• View Rate: North of 50–60% for TV campaigns, mid-20s+ for conversion-focused.
• Average watch time per impression: Indicates strength beyond the hook.
• CTR (Click-through Rate): Signals CTA effectiveness, but not as vital as with Meta.
• Iterative process: Use early data for quick creative tweaks—start with the hook, then the core message, then the CTA/product demo.
  • “View rate is almost always based on the hook. … Average watch time per impression … combination of the hook plus that next six to 12 seconds.” – Brett Curry [69:04]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “YouTube is like our generation’s TV. But it’s better than TV ever could have been because of the way you can measure and target and optimize.” – Brett Curry [00:11 / 18:53]
• On creative: “A good movie trailer, it maybe starts with an explosion … that’s a good YouTube ad. Start high. Hook them … tell a little of the backstory, but then something else that’s high pretty quickly.” – Brett Curry [58:16]
• Measurement gold: “Google under reports by 70% on average, which is sort of nuts. … So what we're mostly looking at is: are sales growing and is our blended CAC still good?” – Brett Curry [26:23]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Brett's intro & YouTube theory: [00:00]–[11:53]
• The changing landscape (streaming, TV, search): [11:53]–[16:22]
• Creative & messaging: [55:22]–[62:27]
• Measuring YouTube effectiveness & lift: [22:49]–[29:18]
• Account structure, smart bidding, demand gen: [42:22]–[51:51]
• Creative strategy & metrics to monitor: [55:22]–[72:26]
• Final optimization/iteration heuristics: [68:24]–[72:26]

Actionable Takeaways

• Don’t treat YouTube like Meta—tailor both creative and measurement.
• The first 5 seconds are crucial; strong hooks and pattern interrupters win.
• Measurement must include sales lift, search lift, and brand lift, not just last-click.
• Smart bidding (with CPA/ROAS constraints) is best for scaling.
• Fewer creatives, longer testing cycles; invest in story-driven, authentic content.
• Watch view rate, average watch time, and relative CTR for optimization cues.

Further Resources

• Follow Brett Curry: @BrettCurry and OMG Commerce omgcommerce.com
• Listen to previous episodes with related experts (e.g., Ezra Firestone).

This summary was crafted to capture the full strategic and practical value of the episode, spotlighting what makes YouTube so powerful, and what operational marketers need to know to win in this channel.