Types of ads on YouTube come in many different formats and placement options. The key is to choose the ad type that aligns with your marketing goals. For example, bumper video ads are a great choice for increasing brand awareness due to their short, memorable format. Then, select a target audience based on their interests and other demographic characteristics. This will help you ensure your ad reaches the right people at the right time.

Skippable in-stream ads play before, during, or after other YouTube videos and are up to 15 seconds long. Because viewers have the option to skip these ads, you pay only when they watch at least 30 seconds or interact with your ad—whichever comes first. This ad type is effective for product demonstrations and videos that need more explanation.

Innovative Advertising: Exploring the Types of Ads on YouTube

Non-skippable in-stream video ads run for up to 20 or 30 seconds and can’t be skipped by viewers. This ad type is great for promoting products or services that need to be seen all the way through, as well as for showcasing movie trailers.

Discovery ads look like search results and appear on YouTube’s search results page, watch pages, and homepage. They also say “Ad” in a box to make it clear that they are paid ads. This ad type is effective for promoting videos that need to be discovered, such as helpful shoulder exercise tutorials or medical procedures. It can also be used to build brand awareness by showing up in searches for your product or service.