If almost nobody searches for what you sell, stop hunting for a keyword. Find the YouTube channels and videos your buyer already watches and target those placements directly in Google Ads, so your ad plays in front of people who are already deep in the subject.
Two rules shape how you set it up. Google requires at least 10 YouTube channels or videos in the list, and it no longer lets you add placements to Video campaigns that bid for conversions.
A niche with no keyword and no interest
On a mentoring call, a tutor who prepares high school students for a science olympiad wanted a reliable source of leads. They wanted international students, mostly in the US and UK. The usual channels came up short. On Meta there was no interest that would find olympiad students; age filters and broad education interests were the closest. In Keyword Planner, the olympiad terms had very low volume, some around 10 searches a month.
We suggested exact match on the handful of terms with real volume, and then the part that could actually scale: put their face in front of the resources these students already use. Olympiad students look up concepts on YouTube, the tutor agreed, and teachers post problem-and-solution videos there. One video we looked at on the call had 114K views. Target those channels and videos, add their countries as the location, and the ad reaches people who are mid-revision on exactly their subject.
How placement targeting works now
- Where it's available. Placements can be added to ad groups in Video and Display campaigns, from Content, then Placements. The types include YouTube channels and YouTube videos, which you find by search, URL or video ID.
- The 10-placement minimum. Google says to add or select at least 10 YouTube channels or videos, or you won't be able to save the campaign. Build a list of 10 or more, not three.
- Not in conversion campaigns. Google has removed content targeting (keywords, topics and placements) from Video campaigns that drive conversions and won't let you add it back. Use a Video campaign that isn't bidding for conversions. In a Video view campaign, Google charges when someone views your video ad.
- Popular videos cost more. Google warns that popular channels and videos may need higher bids to get impressions.
- Placements aren't a fence. Google notes that an ad with YouTube placements may still run on eligible Display Network locations. Check Networks before launch and the Where ads showed report after it.
The Display route is moving. Google is migrating Display campaigns into Demand Gen, and new Display campaigns will eventually only be created there. For a niche video play, a Video campaign is the clearer home today.
One video for every placement
The tutor asked whether they should make a separate ad for each channel, naming it. Our answer was no. You can split campaigns by channel, but it gets messy fast. Instead, write one video for the whole list that speaks to the viewer's situation: if you're watching this, you're probably preparing for this year's olympiad. Other ideas from the call: a 30-second take on one tricky question from the last olympiad, to show you know the material, and a fit check as the next step: are you ready, and how many hours will it take?
For the other way to describe a niche audience to Google, using the URLs of sites your buyer visits, see competitor URLs in a custom segment aren't a visitor list.
The takeaways
- When a niche has no search volume, target the YouTube channels and videos your buyer studies from.
- Google requires at least 10 YouTube channels or videos before you can save the campaign.
- Placements can't be added to Video campaigns that bid for conversions. Use a non-conversion Video campaign.
- Add location targeting to narrow it further, and check Networks so the ad stays where you meant it.
- Write one video for the whole list, not one per channel.
Common questions
Can I target specific YouTube channels or videos with Google Ads?
Yes. Placement targeting lets you add YouTube channels and YouTube videos to ad groups in Video and Display campaigns, from the Content page under Placements. Google requires at least 10 YouTube channels or videos, otherwise you won't be able to save the campaign.
Why can't I add placements to my YouTube conversion campaign?
Google no longer lets you add content targeting, meaning keywords, topics or placements, to Video campaigns that drive conversions, and it removed existing content targeting from them. To target specific channels and videos, use a Video campaign that isn't bidding for conversions.
Will my ad only show on the YouTube placements I choose?
Not necessarily. Google notes that when you add YouTube placements, your ad may still run in all eligible locations across the Google Display Network. Check your campaign's Networks setting, and review the Where ads showed report after launch.
Do I pay per view or per click for YouTube placement ads?
It depends on the campaign. In a Video view campaign, Google charges when someone views your video ad, a metric Google renamed TrueView views in October 2025. Google also notes that popular channels and videos may need higher bids to get impressions.
Can I combine YouTube placements with location targeting?
Yes. Location is set for the campaign, and Google says each targeting method you add to a Video campaign narrows your targeting rather than widening it. So placements plus a country target means people in that country watching those channels or videos.