Non-skippable in-stream ads play before, during, or after other videos. Viewers don't have the option to skip the ad. Non-skippable in-stream ads are 15-seconds (or shorter).
In this article, you’ll learn about the technical specs and reporting tools available for non-skippable in-stream ads.
How non-skippable in-stream ads appear on YouTube
Desktop
Mobile
TV screens
Available assets
| Asset | Guidelines |
|---|---|
| YouTube video URL | The link to your video. The URL can be any standard video uploaded to YouTube. The video must be public or unlisted and comply with our advertising policies and requirements. |
|
Final URL |
The URL that people reach after clicking your ad. It should match what your ad promotes. Learn more about final URLs |
| Display URL | The website address that appears in your ad. It's typically the URL of the site or page you're advertising. The display URL must match the domain that people visit when they interact with your ad. |
| Call-to-action (optional) | 10 characters max. The call-to-action appears with your headline and directs people to the website you specify as your final URL. The call-to-action text should accurately reflect the site or page that you’re directing people to (for example, “Shop now” for a product detail page). |
| Headline (optional) | 15 characters max. Headline text should be concise and communicate key information and accurately reflect the content in the video. |
| Companion banner | A companion banner is an image that appears next to your ad on desktop computers. You can choose to have an auto-generated companion banner (based on info from your YouTube channel) or upload a 300x60 JPEG, GIF, or PNG (150 KB maximum). Learn more about companion banners |
Ad specifications
Your video must be uploaded to YouTube and set as public or unlisted to use in an ad. Learn more about YouTube video formatting specifications
Supported Google Ads goals
- Product and brand consideration (only within the “Video ad sequence” subtype)
- Brand awareness and reach
Available bidding strategy
Target cost-per-thousand impressions (tCPM)
With Target CPM bidding, you set the average amount you’re willing to pay for every thousand times your ad is shown. We'll then optimize bids to help get as much unique reach as possible. Some impressions may cost more or less than your target.
Target CPM bidding is available when you create a Video campaign with the “Brand awareness and reach” or “Product and brand consideration” (only within the “Video ad sequence” subtype) goal.
Reporting
Metrics
All standard video metrics are available for non-skippable in-stream ads.
Third-party measurement
Third-party measurement is only available through Ads Data Hub. Learn more about the process for third-party measurement on YouTube
Policies
Non-skippable in-stream ads must follow Google Ads policies and YouTube policies.