YouTube has decided to change its advertising strategy to cater to its viewers’ preferences on larger screens. With this change, fewer ads will be shown between videos. However, the length of ads will increase and the “Skip Ad” button will appear later.

YouTube tests new ad strategy for Smart TVs

According to YouTube, the majority of video viewing time on smart TVs in the US is over 21 minutes. Recognizing that longer videos are being watched on large screen devices, the platform has started to re-evaluate its ad placement strategy.

YouTube videos often feature ads that are as short as 10 seconds. This can be annoying for viewers when watching longer videos. As part of new tests, YouTube has begun to reduce the frequency of ad breaks and extend their duration for some users in the US.

The platform aims to create a smoother viewing experience by bundling ads together. This is similar to TV channels, where short ads are grouped into several breaks, rather than interrupting content with multiple short commercial breaks.

In addition to changing the frequency and duration of ad breaks, the platform is also revamping the Skip Ad button. Currently, the platform shows viewers the number of ads, total ad time and the skip button. YouTube will simplify this information, showing only the “seconds left to skip” counter.

These changes represent a shift in YouTube’s approach to showing ads. They may also encourage viewers who find longer ad breaks annoying to switch to YouTube Premium. For those who don’t know, you can turn off ads on YouTube with a Premium account.

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