YouTube advertising in Dubai - what you need to know [updated for 2025]

Updated: October 2024

YouTube is the most viewed website in the UAE. That, along with the 2.49 billion monthly active users it has, makes this platform great for advertising. We’ve got all you need to know about the advertising options available to you, as well as the goals, targeting, strategy and best practice tips to get you started.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, video ads on YouTube are significantly cheaper than TV ads. Not only are they more affordable, but they're also highly effective at influencing consumer behaviour. In fact, 82% of people report being convinced to buy a product or service after watching a video. The impact that a well-crafted video ad can have on driving engagement and conversions makes it a powerful tool for reaching and persuading your target audience.

How YouTube advertising works

YouTube advertising is managed on the Google Ads platform. The process is simple: a video is selected from YouTube, the targeting is defined, and the budget is set. The video you create should be a compelling combination of sight, sound and motion, and include a call to action.

People on YouTube can find your ad when watching or searching for something. Once your ad is seen, people watch it and, ideally, take action. YouTube’s advertising catchphrase aptly sums up their services: “Be seen where everyone is watching.” However, you don’t need to fear your ad getting lost in a sea of advertisements. Find My Audience is a tool used to target people effectively by determining:

• Specified keywords
• The device used
• The key interests of the user
• The topic itself
• The type of video
• Remarketing to people who have visited your site, therefore building a relationship and staying as a front-of-mind option

Therefore, it is clear that advertising on YouTube allows businesses to reach audiences. In addition, you can connect in meaningful ways since video is proven to be a growing medium that is powerful and engaging with audiences.

What ad formats does YouTube offer? 

The cost of advertising on YouTube

The YouTube platform values engagement so much that when you advertise, you will only pay for the engagements your ad receives. This can be determined by your bidding strategy, which you should select based on your marketing objectives.

These are the options:

• Maximum cost per view: cost is based on the views and interactions garnered
• Maximum cost-per-mille: cost is based on every 1,000 impressions received
• Viewable cost-per-mille: cost is based on every 1,000 viewed impressions (excluding website bouncing)
• Target cost per acquisition: cost is based on the action taken by the users who viewed your ad (i.e. following the call to action)

Google Ads offers $100 credit for spending $50 on creating a YouTube ad. If you’re wondering how much to budget for advertising, consider at least $10 per day for a local campaign. That being said, there are various factors to consider. One of the benefits of advertising on YouTube is that it is flexible - you can make adjustments at any point. You can also contact platform experts if you require assistance with your campaign.

As mentioned above, this should be according to your goals. These include the following:

• Leads: Interactive ways to generate leads to increase sales.
• Website traffic: Directing people to your website with a call to action.
• Consideration: Influence purchasing decisions or other deciding factors that encourage potential customers to engage further with your brand.
• Awareness: Promoting your brand to gain visibility and improve brand recognition.

You can select your ‘Inventory Type,’ which refers to the kind of content your ad will be displayed with. Options range from limited to standard and expanded, determining the levels of sensitive content in the videos (e.g. violence, profanity and graphic visuals).

Tips for advertising on YouTube in 2025

• Leverage the ability to re-target audiences
• Consider capping the frequency that your video is viewed by each user
• Segment your ads to target niche audiences in personal ways
• Consider the timing of your ads
• Video mastery - you’ll want to be compelling yet concise content and hook the viewer within the first few seconds
• Measure your results often and in real time to make necessary adjustments
• Use a variety of ad types
• Consider user-generated content for your ads
• A strong CTA is a must

Working with a YouTube marketing Dubai agency

A digital agency like NEXA can assist you with creating, running, and monitoring YouTube ads. We can assist with the conceptualisation, creative and high-quality video marketing, advanced targeting and social media management. Creating the right video can be complex, and it needs to be high quality to have the desired effect and results. Here is an overview of the processes involved in this:

• Prep: deciding the story, the casting and the location. You’ll need a concept, a storyboard and a script.
• Shooting: the equipment (such as the camera, audio and lighting), space to shoot, and potentially a crew to assist.
• Editing: you can use YouTube Editor, though an agency can also use their advanced software to edit the clips, adjust, or add in audio and overlay titles, if necessary.

Video marketing will be highly effective and powerful in 2025, and YouTube will be one of the best platforms for this medium. Now that you have the know-how, costs and tips you need, you are one step closer to creating a successful campaign.

Ready to make your mark with YouTube advertising? Use our cost calculator below to leverage our expertise and start creating a campaign that connects and converts.