YouTube is making its service more attractive to TV ad buyers with a new advertising offering announced Wednesday at the annual YouTube Brandcast upfront in New York. The company said it will introduce non-skippable 30-second ads on connected TVs, replacing the two consecutive 15-second ads that currently run when advertisers target top videos through its YouTube Select program.
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YouTube Select launched in 2020 and is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to serve advertisers who want to ensure their ad dollars are directed to high-performing, brand-safe video content. The program gives advertisers access to a more curated, quality selection of creators and publishers across categories including music, sports, gaming, food, entertainment, technology and more.
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Today, YouTube Select achieves over 70% of TV screen impressions, according to internal data provided by the company.
Now, YouTube advertisers will be able to target their campaigns to these videos with longer 30-second ads, which YouTube says better align with advertisers’ goals and allow for “richer storytelling.” This also means advertisers can reuse their existing companion content, rather than creating shorter content specifically to reach YouTube’s audience. Meanwhile, YouTube believes that viewers at home are more likely to be receptive to longer 30-second ads when watching on a big screen, as that’s already common when watching TV.
This feature comes alongside the addition of “Pause” ads on Connected TV devices, which will allow advertisers to display their brands when a video is paused.
The ad experience updates come after a Nielsen report found that YouTube (excluding YouTube TV) was the only streaming service in the U.S. to increase viewing time , as others like Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Prime Video, Peacock, and Hulu either decreased or remained flat. YouTube viewership grew 1.5% from March 27 to April 30, 2023 — an increase of 0.3 share points — according to the report.
The company has been chasing TV ad money for some time, showing up at TV Upfronts in addition to digital NewFronts, alongside other tech companies like Meta and Snap. This could be the right move for the streamer, as it would not only allow it to charge TV ad rates, but nearly half of all YouTube viewing in the U.S. now takes place on TVs, The Information reported earlier this month.
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Last month, YouTube reached over 150 million people on connected TVs in the U.S., including YouTube TV. Additionally, YouTube announced the following at Brandcast.
In addition to non-skippable and non-pauseable ads, YouTube said advertisers will soon be able to reach football fans across the NFL’s entire content portfolio, including live games on YouTube TV and Primetime Channels or when they watch highlights, post-game commentary or other related content. Additionally, as part of its partnership with the NFL, it is adding a new original Shorts series to the NFL’s YouTube channel after the football season begins, titled “NFL Creator of the Week.”.
Of course, YouTube highlighted its artificial intelligence capabilities at the event, noting, among other things, that Google AI can help advertisers find the best combination of formats to achieve their campaign goals.
Information source: techcrunch.com
