Do you watch YouTube on a TV? Get ready for longer, unskippable ads

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

TL;DR

YouTube is adding longer, unskippable ads to the platform for users who stream videos on a big screen. At the YouTube Brandcast event held in New York on Wednesday, the company made two important announcements that will affect people who watch YouTube on smart televisions.

First, YouTube will add 30-second unskippable ads to its top-performing content. The platform categorizes these videos under its YouTube Select umbrella.

“YouTube Select is now landing over 70% of impressions on the TV screen, so we’re making it easier for you to use existing assets in front of the most-streamed content,” YouTube told marketers in a blog post.

So instead of seeing two 15-second ads consecutively, viewers will now see one long 30-second ad they can’t get rid of.

Secondly, the platform is also bringing “Pause ads” to YouTube on smart TVs. These ads will pop up when viewers pause a video mid-stream. The video you are watching will shrink, and an ad will appear next to it.

It seems the only way to avoid these new types of ads on YouTube on connected TVs is to get a YouTube Premium subscription.

Comments