7 YouTube Advertising Tactics Inspired by Gary Halbert

Halbert is best known for his newsletter, "The Gary Halbert Letter" and his legendary "Boron Letters", a series of letters explaining insider direct response tactics and sage wisdom to his youngest son Bond.

His insights continue to influence direct response marketing and digital advertising today, numerous ways.

Gary Halbert’s tactics truly are timeless and they're just as powerful for YouTube ads today as they were for print mail in the 80s. 

Wondering how exactly?

In this article, we’ll explore how seven of Gary Halbert’s important lessons can be applied specifically to YouTube advertising.

These strategies will help you craft compelling ads that convert and elevate your YouTube marketing game.

Sounds good? Great, then let’s dive right in, shall we?

Gary Halbert Tactic 1: Craft Irresistible Headlines (Hook Your Audience Early)

Gary Halbert stated that in order to get your audience to read whatever you’ve written, you need yo capture their attention.

In case of YouTube ads - this mean the first few seconds of a video are crucial.

With attention spans shorter than ever, you need a strong hook to keep viewers from hitting the "Skip Ad" button.

Start your ad with a captivating statement, bold promise, or intriguing question that resonates with your target audience’s desires. Halbert suggest starting off with news or benefits - or both.

For instance, instead of a generic opening like "Learn how to grow your business," consider something more specific and enticing, such as "How We Grew Our Sales by 200% in Just 30 Days Using This Simple Strategy."

The key is to be specific and relevant, ensuring viewers feel compelled to watch more.

For example, watch the intro of this ad by Sky Solar we found in VidTao:

The ad opens with a bold and intriguing question, ‘Do you know the US solar company’s nasty little secret?’, immediately grabbing viewer’s attention. The unique concept and catchy opening make viewers curious about the rest of the video.

Gary Halbert Tactic 2: Use a Proven Formula (AIDA for YouTube Ads)

Halbert often referenced the AIDA formula—Attention, Interest, Desire, Action—as a foundation for his copy. 

This structure can be adapted seamlessly to YouTube ads:

• Attention: Grab the viewer's focus immediately with an eye-catching visuals and a good hook.

• Interest: Use storytelling or value-driven content to pique curiosity.

• Desire: Highlight how your product or service can solve the viewer’s problem, showcasing benefits rather than (only) features.

• Action: Finish with a strong call to action (CTA), such as "Click below to learn more" or "Subscribe now for exclusive tips."

Take this affiliate marketing training ad by Chris Reader as an example:

This ad grabs viewer’s attention immediately with a bold promise, uses storytelling with relatable characters and success stories of ordinary people, promises an effective solution to a common problem and finishes off with a simple and clear CTA.

Applying this formula ensures your ad flows naturally, guiding viewers toward taking action without feeling too "salesy."

Gary Halbert Tactic 3: Grab Attention - But No Fraud! (Avoid Clickbait)

Halbert pointed out it’s important to avoid tactics that include ‘cheating’, as well as ‘cheap shots’:

In YouTube advertising, this means steering clear of misleading hooks or exaggerated claims that don’t deliver on their promise. 

While bold hooks are essential, if your ad doesn't follow through with relevant content, viewers will feel tricked and may even develop a negative perception of your brand.

Instead, focus on capturing attention through a mix of authentic storytelling, valuable insights, or humor that aligns with your audience's expectations. The goal is to create an engaging experience, not to bait and switch.

Watch this men soap ad with total ad spend of $12 million:

This ad by Dr. Squatch exemplifies Halbert’s advice by using a bold + relevant hook—"you're not a dish, you're a man"—and following through with valuable content on natural ingredients and soap quality. It educates rather than exaggerates, using humor and relatable messaging to engage viewers honestly. This authentic approach avoids bait-and-switch tactics, meeting customer expectations and building trust.

Gary Halbert Tactic 4: Build a "Swipe File" of Successful Ads

Gary Halbert swore by the power of having a ‘swipe file’—a collection of winning ads and copy that serve as inspiration. 

YouTube advertisers can benefit from this practice by compiling a swipe file of high-performing YouTube ads in their niche - and this is exactly where VidTao 2.0 comes in handy! You can rely on VidTao to not only discover incredible ads from your  competitors, but also check their landing pages, numerous ad stats and more:

By dissecting these successful ads, you’ll notice patterns and techniques that can be adapted to your own. Keep refining your collection, and soon you’ll develop a keen sense for what works and what doesn’t in YouTube advertising at any given moment.

Gary Halbert Tactic 5: Target the "Starving Crowd" (Find Your Ideal Audience)

One of Halbert's core principles was to find a "starving crowd"—a market that is desperate for a solution to a problem. 

Here are this legend’s exact words:

For YouTube advertisers, this translates to identifying an audience with a strong interest in your product or service. Use YouTube's targeting features to hone in on this audience based on interests, search history, and behaviors.

You can also create Custom Affinity or Custom Intent audiences to reach users who have recently searched for keywords related to your product. By ensuring your ads are shown to the right people, you’ll maximize your ad budget and see better results.

We get into all this detail inside our VidTao targeting training with one of our senior media buyers. You can go check it out inside the VidTao Premium on this link.

Gary Halbert Tactic 6: Translate Facts Into Benefits (Make It About the Viewer)

Halbert taught copywriters to focus on benefits over facts, making sure the customer understands what’s in it for them.

In your YouTube ads, frame your message around how the product will improve the viewer's life rather than listing technical specifications. For example, instead of saying, "Our software has a real-time analytics feature," say, "Get real-time insights to optimize your campaigns and boost sales effortlessly."

Here are some examples by Halbert himself:

This shift from features to benefits creates a more emotional connection, encouraging viewers to take the next step.

Here’s a cool ad by Gloss Genius as an example:

Rather than simply listing what the website-building software can do (like customizable themes, color options, or calendar syncing), the ad consistently frames these capabilities in terms of how they directly benefit the viewer:

Gary Halbert Tactic 7: Always Test Your Ads (Never Settle for "Good Enough")

Gary Halbert was a firm believer in testing and iterating copy to find winning formulas:

He understood that discovering a successful formula held far greater value than a quick, short-term gain.

On YouTube, this means running A/B tests for different versions of your ads to determine which one performs best.
 
Experiment with various hooks, CTAs, video lengths, and even thumbnail designs. Leverage YouTube’s analytics to track metrics like watch time, CTR, and conversions.

This data will guide your optimization efforts and help you craft ads that consistently deliver higher returns.

One of our trainings inside the VidTao Premium done by our creative director focuses closely on creative testing - make sure to check it out here for valuable insights and details on the topic:

Wrapping Up

Gary Halbert’s principles remain relevant in today’s digital marketing landscape, and can be truly valuable for YouTube advertisers aiming to craft high-converting ads.

By adapting his timeless copywriting lessons, you can take your YouTube campaigns to new heights in no time!

Try applying the lessons we went over today to your next ad and watch your engagement and conversions soar.

And don’t forget - great advertising isn’t just about reaching the most people; it’s about reaching the right people with the right message, and we hope that’s exactly what we will help you achieve with today’s article!

Have a great week!

The VidTao Team

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