YouTube brings non-skippable 30-second ads to TVs

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YouTube is making its service more attractive to TV ad buyers with a new ad offering Announced on Wednesday at his annual YouTube Brandcast upfront event in New York. The company said it will introduce non-skippable 30-second ads on connected TVs that will replace the two consecutive 15-second ads that run today when advertisers target the best videos through the YouTube Select program.

Released in 2020, YouTube Selection has been part of the company’s ongoing efforts to cater to marketers who want to ensure their ad dollars go toward high-performing, yet brand-safe video content. The program offers advertisers access to a curated, higher-quality selection of creators and publishers in various categories including music, sports, gaming, food, entertainment, technology and more.

Today, YouTube Select gets more than 70% of TV screen impressions, the company said, citing internal data.

Now, YouTube advertisers will be able to target these videos with ads longer than 30 seconds, which YouTube says better aligns with advertiser goals and allows for “richer storytelling.” It also means advertisers can reuse their existing collateral, instead of creating shorter content just to reach YouTube audiences. Meanwhile, YouTube believes that viewers at home are also more likely to be receptive to ads longer than 30 seconds when watching on the big screen, since that’s already commonplace when watching TV.

The feature comes alongside the addition of “Pause” ads on connected TV devices, which will allow advertisers to display their brand when a video is paused.

The ad experience updates come on the heels of a Nielsen report found by YouTube (excluding YouTube TV) was the only streaming service in the US that was increasing its viewing time, while others like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Peacock, and Hulu declined or were left unchanged. YouTube views increased 1.5% from March 27 to April 30, 2023, or an increase of 0.3 share points, found the report.

The company has been chasing TV ad dollars for some time by hosting TV Upfronts in addition to digital. New Fronts along with other tech companies, such as Meta and Snap. This may be the right move for the streamer, as not only would it allow them to charge TV ad prices, but almost half of all YouTube viewership in the US now happens on TVs. The information reported earlier this month.

Including YouTube TV, YouTube reached more than 150 million people via connected TVs in the US last month. YouTube also announced at Brandcast.

In addition to non-skippable and unpausable ads, YouTube said advertisers will soon be able to reach football fans across its full range of NFL content, including live games on YouTube TV and Primetime Channels, or when watching highlights, post-game commentary, or more. Related content. Additionally, as part of its partnership with the NFL, it will add a new Shorts original series to the NFL YouTube channel after football season begins, “NFL Creator of the Week.”

Of course, YouTube also made a point of promoting its AI capabilities at the event, noting that Google AI can help advertisers find the best mix of formats to meet their campaign goals, among other things.