About video ad formats

For subtitles in your language, turn on YouTube captions. Select the settings icon Image of YouTube settings icon at the bottom of the video player, then select "Subtitles/CC" and choose your language.


 


 

“Video discovery ads” are now known as “in-feed video ads”. Aside from the name change, the ad format functions the same as before.

In Google Ads, you can create compelling video campaigns with a range of video ad formats to engage customers in different ways on YouTube and across video partner sites. Available video ad formats include:

  Skippable in-stream In-feed Non-skippable in-stream Bumper Outstream
  Image of skippable in-stream ad Image of video discovery ad Image of non-skippable in-stream ad Image of bumper ad Image of outstream ad
Selling point: Users can skip so you are only charged for views Shows to highly engaged users in the discovery and searching phase Users can't skip so they view your whole message Quick message that can't be skipped to raise awareness or reinforce other ads. Raise awareness to users outside of Google when they are browsing their favorite sites
Where does it serve? YouTube videos, GVP YouTube Homefeed, YouTube Search YouTube videos, GVP YouTube videos, GVP GVP
Max video length? No max length (less than 3 mins recommended) No max length 15–30 seconds 6 seconds No max length
Views reported in Google Ads? Yes Yes No No Yes
Can increment public view count? Yes (videos less than 10 seconds will not) Yes No No Yes
Can remarket to viewers? Yes Yes No No Yes

While video ad content must be hosted on YouTube, video ads can appear on YouTube and across websites and apps running on Google video partners (depending on your ad format and campaign settings).

This article describes the benefits of video ads and compares the different video ad formats available. Explore the formats in detail below. You can learn more about our policies and requirements. To learn how to create videos in Google Ads, visit Create a video using Asset library. To learn how to add voice-over to video, visit Add voice-over to a Video campaign.

An example of all the YouTube ad formats available in Google Ads

Note: The Product and brand consideration campaign objective has been combined with Brand awareness and reach. You can now find all the same campaign subtypes from both objectives under Awareness and consideration. This merge helps to simplify advertisers goal selection experiences and offers a centralized place for all brand campaign subtypes.

 


Skippable in-stream ads

Image of skippable in-stream ad

When should I use this ad format?

Use skippable in-stream ads when you have video content you'd like to promote before, during, or after other videos on YouTube and across websites and apps running on Google video partners.

How does the ad format work?

Skippable in-stream ads play before, during, or after other videos. After 5 seconds, the viewer has an option to skip the ad.

Where does the ad format appear?

Skippable in-stream ads appear on YouTube watch pages and across websites and apps running on Google video partners.

How will I be charged?

With CPV bidding, you pay when a viewer watches 30 seconds of your video, or the entire duration of the video if it's shorter than 30 seconds, or interacts with your video, whichever comes first.

With Target CPM, Target CPA, and Maximize conversions bidding, you pay based on impressions.

Which campaign goal do I need to select to use this ad format?

  • Sales
  • Leads
  • Website traffic
  • Awareness and consideration

Note: You can also use this ad format when you choose "Create a campaign without a goal's guidance" in Google Ads.

 


Non-skippable in-stream ads

Image of non-skippable in-stream ad

When should I use this ad format?

Use non-skippable in-stream ads when you have video content you'd like to promote before, during, or after other videos on YouTube and across websites and apps running on Google video partners and you want viewers to view the entire message without skipping your video.

Note: 30-second non-skippable in-stream ads will be available in Google Ads early 2024. Until then, you can contact your sales representative to add 30-second non-skippable in-stream ads.

How does the ad format work?

Non-skippable in-stream ads are 30 seconds or shorter, and play before, during, or after other videos. Viewers don't have the option to skip the ad.

Note: Some non-skippable in-stream ads may also appear on YouTube TV, depending on eligibility. Learn more About YouTube TV ads.

Where does the ad format appear?

Non-skippable in-stream ads appear on YouTube videos and across websites and apps running on Google video partners.

How will I be charged?

Non-skippable in-stream ads use Target CPM bidding, so you pay based on impressions.

Which campaign goal do I need to select to use this ad format?

  • Awareness and consideration

Note: You can also use this ad format when you choose "Create a campaign without a goal's guidance" in Google Ads.

 


Vertical-friendly video ads

Optimize your App, Performance Max, and Video campaigns by having vertical videos in your creative assets as a best practice. The mobile-friendly, full-screen experience of vertical videos can help improve your campaign’s engagement with mobile video viewers.

For YouTube, vertical videos are supported in all video eligible campaigns with possible placements in-feed, in-stream, on YouTube Search, and YouTube Shorts. In some cases, just by adding a vertical video asset to a Video action campaign can deliver 10-20% more conversions compared to just having horizontal videos for YouTube Shorts.

Outside of YouTube, your ads also run on Google video partners to reach more people. A large share of Google video partners inventory is vertical-focused, like gaming and video apps, to further utilize your vertical and square video assets.

Note: Vertical videos may also be served in-feed to people using desktops as your best performing assets are served based on user behavior and environment.

To start creating vertical video assets, learn more about video creation in Google Ads.

 


In-feed video ads

Image of video discovery ad

When should I use this ad format?

Use in-feed video ads to promote video content in places of discovery, including next to related YouTube videos, as part of a YouTube search result, or on the YouTube mobile homepage.

How does the ad format work?

In-feed video ads consist of a thumbnail image from your video with some text. While the exact size and appearance of the ad may vary depending on where it appears, in-feed video ads always invite people to click to watch the video. The video then plays on the YouTube watch page or channel homepage.

Where does the ad format appear?

In-feed video ads appear:

  • On YouTube search results
  • Alongside related YouTube videos
  • On the YouTube mobile homepage

How will I be charged?

You’ll be charged only when viewers choose to watch your ad by clicking the thumbnail.

Which campaign goal do I need to select to use this ad format?

  • Awareness and consideration

Note: You can also use this ad format when you choose "Create a campaign without a goal's guidance" in Google Ads.

 


Bumper ads

Image of bumper ad

When should I use this ad format?

Use bumper ads when you want to reach viewers broadly with a short, memorable message.

How does the ad format work?

Bumper ads are 6 seconds or shorter, and play before, during, or after another video. Viewers don't have the option to skip the ad.

Note: Some bumper ads may also appear on YouTube TV, depending on eligibility. Learn more About YouTube TV ads.

Where does the ad format appear?

Bumper ads appear on YouTube videos and across websites and apps running on Google video partners.

How will I be charged?

Bumper ads use Target CPM bidding, so you pay based on impressions.

Which campaign goal do I need to select to use this ad format?

  • Awareness and consideration

Note: You can also use this ad format when you choose "Create a campaign without a goal's guidance" in Google Ads.

 


Outstream ads

Image of outstream ad

When should I use this ad format?

Use outstream ads when you want to expand the reach of your video ads on mobile, helping you reach more customers.

How does the ad format work?

Outstream ads begin playing with the sound off. Viewers can tap the ad to unmute the video. Outstream ads are designed to increase your video reach at an efficient cost.

Where does the ad format appear?

Outstream ads are mobile-only ads and only appear on websites and apps running on Google video partners. Outstream ads aren't available on YouTube.

Outstream ads can run across a variety of different mobile placements. For mobile web placements, outstream ads appear in banners. In mobile apps, outstream ads appear in banners, interstitials, in-feed, native, and in both portrait and fullscreen modes.

How will I be charged?

You’re charged for outstream ads based on viewable cost-per-thousand-impressions (vCPM), so you’ll only be charged when someone plays your video for 2 seconds or more.

 


Masthead ads

Image of Masthead ad

When should I use this ad format?

Use this format when you want to drive awareness for a new product or service or reach a massive audience in a short period of time, for example, a sales event.

Masthead ads are only available on a reservation basis through a Google sales representative.

How does the ad format work?

Desktop

  • A featured video in a Masthead ad autoplays without the sound for up to 30 seconds at the top of the YouTube Home feed. The Masthead ad can appear in a widescreen or 16:9 aspect ratio format and includes an information panel to the right that automatically uses assets from your channel. You can optionally include up to 2 companion videos in this panel. People can click the mute icon if they want to hear sound from the video.
  • After autoplay, the main video defaults to the video thumbnail. When people click on the video or click on the thumbnail, they’re taken to the YouTube watch page for the video.

Mobile

  • A featured video in a Masthead ad autoplays without the sound for the full duration of the video at the top of the YouTube app or m.youtube.com Home feed.
  • The mobile video Masthead ad features a video thumbnail, customizable headline, description texts and an external call-to-action (CTA). The mobile video Masthead ad also automatically pulls in the channel name and icon from the advertiser’s channel. When a user clicks on the mobile video Masthead ad, it will exit to the YouTube watch page for the featured video.

TV screens

  • A featured video in a Masthead ad autoplays (where supported) without the sound for the full duration of the video at the top of the YouTube app for TVs. The Masthead ad can appear in a widescreen or 16:9 aspect ratio format. People can use their TV remote to interact with the Masthead ad. After autoplay, the main video defaults to the video thumbnail. When people click on the video or thumbnail, they're taken to the watch page for the video to watch full-screen.
  • You can’t add a CTA to a Masthead ad on TV screens.

How will I be charged?

Because Masthead ads are only available on a reservation basis, you’re charged on a cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis. You can work with the Google advertising team to get a rate estimate and campaign impression goals.

 


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