YouTube Ad Formats
Understanding YouTube Ad Formats
From skippable in-stream ads to bumper ads and YouTube Shorts, every format serves a unique purpose in driving reach, engagement, and conversions.
This section breaks down the most effective YouTube video ad formats — including non-skippable, in-feed, masthead, and CTV placements — highlighting when and why each should be used. Whether you’re aiming for efficient reach, video views, or brand lift, understanding how these formats work together helps brands deliver more impactful campaigns across YouTube’s vast ecosystem.
Linked subpages will explore each format’s essentials, performance benchmarks, and creative best practices, helping advertisers maximize ROI and viewer engagement.
YouTube Ad Formats Overview
| 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, Viewss | 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 |