If you've been watching YouTube on your TV lately and wondering why the ads feel like they're getting longer, there's a good reason for that: the site is introducing longer commercials while promising that they will at least will occur less often than before.
YouTube is new blog post describes how it makes the streaming service 'more useful' for viewers (and advertisers in particular). These experiments, which feature a countdown timer of up to 200 seconds in the bottom corner of long videos, are now being rolled out globally.
YouTube says research shows viewers prefer to know the total time remaining before they can skip, rather than the number of ads. So that's what you'll soon see in a skip countdown timer, if you haven't already.
These changes are specific to watching YouTube on connected TVs, either through built-in smart platforms or the best streaming boxes like Apple TV. And now even YouTube Shorts will show ads on your TV – a new change for the big screen that could make them less appealing as little bite-sized video nuggets.
YouTube says the global popularity of watching YouTube Shorts on connected TVs has “exploded” this year, although a key reason for that is that YouTubers have had to incorporate them into their production to maintain visibility on the platform.
So while YouTube is keen to promote these ad changes as “improvements” for both Long-form and Shorts content on smart TVs, you'll soon be able to make up your own mind – while you spend a break that's remarkably similar to watching cable or TV from a previous broadcast era.
Analysis: Turning up the dial
YouTube may be selling these ad changes as a user-friendly improvement to its streaming service, but they're also part of a broader push to encourage YouTube Premium signups and crack down on ad blockers.
Earlier this month, YouTube confirmed that it is stepping up its global efforts to crack down on ad blockers, sending users warning messages confirming that, as Google's Help page states that the use of ad blockers “violates YouTube's terms of service.” This year we also saw YouTube Premium get a price increase and the cheaper YouTube Premium Lite being discontinued.
I'm starting to notice the longer ad breaks when watching YouTube on my Apple TV and this experience makes it feel much more like watching traditional cable or broadcast TV compared to the previous option of cutting them out after just 5-10 seconds. to hit.
While the ad breaks are apparently less frequent, I've seen the new, longer breaks appear several times in some videos – and YouTube isn't saying how much this will impact the overall amount of time we watch ads on the service. .
So while your experience may vary, you may find yourself watching longer ads on YouTube over the Christmas holidays unless you're tempted by YouTube Premium and its new AI features.