YouTube to Eliminate Unskippable 30-Second Ads
We’ve all dealt with them for years, but it’s no secret that YouTube viewers have increasingly grown tired of 30-second unskippable ads.
Now, something is being done about it.
A More Satisfying Ad Format
YouTube recently announced that it will get rid of the ad format in 2018. Instead, it will concentrate on shorter ads that better complement the attention span of users. There’s a good chance it will focus more heavily on six-second unskippable video ads or bumper ads.
A YouTube spokesperson affirmed the update with this statement: “We’re committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we’ve decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers.”
YouTube desires to optimize social media advertising for both users and advertisers, yielding better results. This is a big step up from the release of bumper ads on the platform – an unskippable ad format released during the first half of 2016, according to WeRSM.
That moment is considered the beginning of the company’s overall advancement of its ads. Since then, YouTube has been testing out shorter, more controllable ads. Between 2017 and 2018, this exciting update is regarded as the biggest change that will take place. As of right now, advertisers can make video ads shorter than 30 seconds unskippable, including 20-second video ads.
This Isn’t Just About Attention Spans
Apart from users’ short attention spans, what else is driving this change? Competition with other social media advertising platforms is a major reason. For example, Facebook is providing increasingly enticing video offers to brands, which does not sit well with YouTube. These offers include more places to add video ads as well as engaging viewers with livestream videos (something YouTube is greatly invested in).
Clearly, video content is at the core of Facebook. Besides, native videos get more interaction through Facebook, compared to YouTube.
Quality Of Content Over Quantity Of Time
Getting back to the change, numerous people would argue that its occurrence may upset advertisers. They are accustomed to using the full 30 seconds to showcase their products and services. In addition, making these video ads unskippable ensures that viewers see them play out completely unless they exit out of the webpages beforehand.
But advertisers should not fret too much as this update is urging them to improve the quality of their social media advertising. Think about it this way: how can I condense my 30-second video ad into a shorter one that’s even more engaging to viewers? If you can hook viewers at the beginning of a video ad and keep them intrigued, the difference in time shouldn’t matter much.
Above all else, make sure the quality of your content encompasses the changing needs and desires of your audience.
What are your thoughts on this YouTube update? To read more interesting content on advertising, check this out: Google Testing Expanded Text Headlines for Ads.
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