YouTube Guide: Ad Formats
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YouTube Ad Formats Overview
- Description:
- Play before, during, or after in-stream video content; users can “skip” after the first 5 seconds of play.
- KPIs:
- Reach & Impressions
- Length:
- Any (most common: :15s-:30s)
- Description:
- Play before, during, or after in-stream video content; users can “skip” after the first 5 seconds of play.
- KPIs:
- View, View Rate, Brand Lift
- Length:
- Any (most common: :15s-:30s)
Non-Skippable In-Stream: Reach
- Description:
- Upper-funnel ads that users must watch in full; can be placed before, during, or after video content.
- KPIs:
- Video Completion Rate (VCR), Brand Lift, Click-Through-Rate (CTR)
- Length:
- :07s - :30s*
- Description:
- Upper-funnel, snackable, non-skippable :06s ad offerings that play before, during, or after video content.
- KPIs:
- Impressions, Reach
- Length:
- :06s
- Description:
- Upper-funnel thumbnails from your video that appear next to related videos, on the channel homepage, on the YouTube watch/discovery page, or as part of a YouTube search result.
- KPIs:
- Impressions, Engagement, Views
- Length:
- Any (:15-:30 best practice)
- Description:
- Upper-funnel thumbnails from your video that appear next to related videos, on the channel homepage, on the YouTube watch/discovery page, or as part of a YouTube search result.
- KPIs:
- Impressions, Engagement, Views
- Length:
- Any (:15-:30 best practice)
- Description:
- Upper-funnel, sound-off, native video ads that appear at the top of the YouTube home feed.
- KPIs:
- Impressions
- Length:
- :30s (or first :30s if longer)
- Description:
- Top-of-funnel, vertical videos that loop continuously until you swipe up. They live on a channel like any other horizontal video, but are also discoverable on the Shorts tab.
- KPIs:
- Impressions, CTR
- Length:
- :60 or less
- Description:
- Top-of-funnel, vertical videos that loop continuously until you swipe up. They live on a channel like any other horizontal video, but are also discoverable on the Shorts tab.
- KPIs:
- Impressions, CTR
- Length:
- :60 or less
| Format Name | Description | KPIs | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skippable In-stream: Reach | Play before, during, or after in-stream video content; users can “skip” after the first 5 seconds of play. | Reach & Impressions | Any (most common: :15s-:30s) |
| Skippable In-Stream: Views | Play before, during, or after in-stream video content; users can “skip” after the first 5 seconds of play. | View, View Rate, Brand Lift | Any (most common: :15s-:30s) |
| Non-Skippable In-Stream: Reach | Upper-funnel ads that users must watch in full; can be placed before, during, or after video content. | Video Completion Rate (VCR), Brand Lift, Click-Through-Rate (CTR) | :07s - :30s* |
| :06s Bumpers: Reach | Upper-funnel, snackable, non-skippable :06s ad offerings that play before, during, or after video content. | Impressions, Reach | :06s |
| In-Feed Ads: Reach | Upper-funnel thumbnails from your video that appear next to related videos, on the channel homepage, on the YouTube watch/discovery page, or as part of a YouTube search result. | Impressions, Engagement, Views | Any (:15-:30 best practice) |
| In-Feed Ads: Views | Upper-funnel thumbnails from your video that appear next to related videos, on the channel homepage, on the YouTube watch/discovery page, or as part of a YouTube search result. | Impressions, Engagement, Views | Any (:15-:30 best practice) |
| Masthead Ads | Upper-funnel, sound-off, native video ads that appear at the top of the YouTube home feed. | Impressions | :30s (or first :30s if longer) |
| YouTube Shorts: Reach | Top-of-funnel, vertical videos that loop continuously until you swipe up. They live on a channel like any other horizontal video, but are also discoverable on the Shorts tab. | Impressions, CTR | :60 or less |
| YouTube Shorts: Views | Top-of-funnel, vertical videos that loop continuously until you swipe up. They live on a channel like any other horizontal video, but are also discoverable on the Shorts tab. | Impressions, CTR | :60 or less |