Viewers are sensitive to too many ad breaks. We’ve found that 79% of viewers would prefer video ads grouped together instead of distributed throughout a video.1 The less frequently viewers are interrupted, the more likely they are to continue watching their favorite content. That’s why we launched fewer, longer ad breaks when viewers watch longer videos on connected TVs. Since launch, we’ve expanded this experience to more types of longform viewing experiences. With the expansion of fewer, longer ad breaks on CTV, YouTube streamers can experience 50% longer viewing sessions before their next ad break.2
Viewers on connected TVs still have the choice to skip to the next ad in an ad pod. Within this improved experience, viewers can still skip an ad after the first five seconds if the ad is not right for them. Further, advertisers have more opportunities to connect with their target viewers while minimizing interruptions to viewing sessions.
When viewers press 'next', they advance forward to the next ad in the pod and the timer reduces. When the timer reaches 0, they can skip directly to content.
With this update, we’ll continue to minimize the number of ad breaks for those who enjoy longer videos. There’s no action required from advertisers. We’re always testing new ways to improve the ad experience for viewers, while helping advertisers achieve their goals.
Posted by Romana Pawar, Director, Product Management, YouTube Ads
1. Google/YouTube via Qualtrics, Deep Ad Pod Messaging Survey, US, August 2022, n = 312 adults.
2. Google/YouTube Internal Data, Global, July 2024.
