All advertisers can now buy Google’s 15-second non-skippable video ads

Google announced Tuesday that it will make 15-second non-skippable video ads available to all advertisers, not just those buying through the YouTube reservation process and its premium Google Preferred network of top YouTube channels. The 15-second spot is Google’s most popular video ad format and is expected to be fully available across Google properties, including YouTube, in the coming weeks.

“Today we’re expanding access to advertisers running auction campaigns,” Ali Miller, product manager, video ads for Google, said in a blog post announcing the change.

Why you should care

Despite years of brand safety concerns, video ads aren’t going anywhere. In 2018, advertisers spent $27.82 billion, up 30 percent from the prior year, according to eMarketer, accounting for 25 percent of overall U.S. digital ad spending.

“Recognizing that advertisers should have access to the full range of creative options regardless of how they buy – whether in advance via reservation or in the Google Ads auction – we’re bringing non-skippable 15-second ads to Google Ads and Display and Video 360, across YouTube and Google video partners. Meanwhile, we continue to have protections in our ad system to cap the number of ads a user sees, to ensure users have a great experience while watching YouTube,” Miller said.

YouTube is well known for its skippable TrueView ad formats in which advertisers pay only when a viewer watches at least 30 seconds of an ad or to completion when ads are shorter than 30 seconds. These ads also have performance elements such as calls-to-action baked in. The more traditional non-skippable in-stream ads can be valuable for branding and reach and for advertisers who want to re-purpose existing creative designed for television and other non-skippable environments.

More about the news

• YouTube will continue to cap the number of ads a user sees, according to Miller.
• Advertisers can check their Google Ads or Display and Video 360 accounts to see if the new feature has rolled out to them yet, or get more information at Google’s Help Center.
• Advertisers will need to create separate campaigns for non-skippable ads.

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About The Author

Robin Kurzer

Robin Kurzer started her career as a daily newspaper reporter in Milford, Connecticut. She then made her mark on the advertising and marketing world in Chicago at agencies such as Tribal DDB and Razorfish, creating award-winning work for many major brands. For the past seven years, she’s worked as a freelance writer and communications professional across a variety of business sectors.