Non-skippable ad campaigns

Non-skippable ads are short in-stream video ads that play before, during, or after another video. Viewers don’t have the option to skip your ad. With videos between 6 and 15 seconds, non-skippable ads allow you to reach viewers with your entire message.

About non-skippable ads

• Required video specifications: Videos for non-skippable ads must be between 6 and 15 seconds and hosted on YouTube. Viewers can’t skip your ad.
• A view of your non-skippable ad won’t increment the video’s YouTube view count.
• Bids for non-skippable ads are set based on target CPM (cost per thousand impressions). Target CPM is a way to bid where you set how much you’re willing to pay every thousand times your ad is shown (this amount is your target CPM). Display & Video 360 will optimize your bids to help get as many impressions as possible using your target CPM amount. Some impressions may cost more or less than your target CPM, but altogether Display & Video 360 will try to keep your line item average CPM equal to or lower than the target CPM you set.
• You can't build remarketing lists off of views to non-skippable ads. 

Non-skippable ads in Display & Video 360

Non-skippable, bumper, and skippable ads are part of the same line item type in Display & Video 360, but you must create separate line items for each format.

Create YouTube & partners line items for non-skippable ads

1. Start in an existing insertion order or create a new one. You can also duplicate an existing insertion order that contains YouTube & partners line items and then edit the copied line items. 

2. In your insertion order, click New line item.

3. Select YouTube & partners video.

4. Enter a Name for your line item.

5. Set the Objective to Brand awareness and reach.

6. Set the Line item subtype to non-skippable ads.

7. Click Next.

8. In the Targeting section, you'll see that the inventory source and device targeting are set automatically. You can click Add targeting to set other line-item level targeting options. Additional types of targeting are available in the line item's ad groups. 

   Device targeting and bid adjustments

   Device targeting allows you to target your ads to people based on the device they're using. Click the pencil icon  to edit, and ensure the box is checked for the devices you’d like to include in targeting. 

   If you want to bid a different amount for views on each device type, click the pencil icon to edit device targeting, then click Advanced settings to set targeted bid adjustments for tablets, smartphones, computers, and connected TVs.

   Example: If your standard bid is $0.10 CPV but you want your bid for smartphone views to be $0.12 CPV, you could set a smartphone bid adjustment of 20%. 

   Line items with advanced operating system, device model, or carrier/network targeting are only eligible to serve on smartphone or tablet devices. 

   Nuances of YouTube targeting

   Unlike other types of line items, targeting for YouTube & partners line items can be set at two different levels: the line item level and the ad group level. Learn more about targeting options for YouTube & partners line items.

   Note that any default targeting set at the insertion order level will not be applied to your YouTube & partners line items.

9. Configure your line item's settings:

   • Pick custom flight dates or use the same dates as the line item's insertion order.

   • Enter the line item's budget and pacing settings. After you save the line item, you can't change between daily and flight, but you can update the budget amount. 

   • (Optional) Select the line item's frequency cap. Learn more about frequency caps in Display & Video 360. 

10. (Optional) Select the Floodlight activity you want to use to count conversions.

11. Select Create new ad group to set up an ad group for your line item.

    • Enter a name for your ad group. 

    • Click Add targeting to configure ad-group level targeting. Learn more about targeting options for YouTube & partners line items.

    • In the Bidding section, set your target CPM bid, which is the average amount you want to pay every thousand times your ad is shown. 

    • Click Create new ad to pick a YouTube video to use as a creative and set the landing page. 

      • Enter a name for your ad.

      • Search for a YouTube video or paste a YouTube URL.

      • Enter the display URL and landing page URL for your ad.

      • (Optional for Campaign Manager 360 users) Use the Campaign Manager 360 tracking ad field to select an existing tracking ad you'd like to use to see enhanced metrics in Campaign Manager 360.

      • (Optional) Use the Click-tracker URL field to set up third-party click tracking. The click tracker must redirect to the same URL as your landing page.

      • Select either an image that's automatically generated from the videos in your YouTube channel (recommended) or an image that you manually upload as your companion banner.

      • (Optional) Add a call-to-action (CTA) overlay.

        • Enter the text for your CTA, which can contain up to 10 characters including spaces. The CTA should be a compelling action that directs users to the website specified in your landing page URL.

        • Enter the text for your headline, which can contain up to 15 characters, including spaces. The headline should promote your product or service.

      • Select Done to create the ad.

    • If you'd like to use multiple ads, click Create new ad again and repeat the steps above. If you use multiple ads, Display & Video 360 will optimize ad rotation based on views.

    • Select Done to create the ad group.

12. (Optional) If you'd like to use multiple ad groups, click Create new ad group and repeat the steps above.

    Reasons for using multiple ad groups

    It can be useful to use multiple ad groups within the same line item for non-skippable ads if you have one budget that can be allocated across the following:

    • Different audiences within the same YouTube & partners line item
    • Different kinds of targeting without limiting scale. For example, you could use audience targeting in one ad group and content targeting in another ad group

13. Click Create to save your new line item.

Report on non-skippable ads

• You can use either the General report or the YouTube report for non-skippable ads.
• Views and views-related metrics are not available for non-skippable ads.