YouTube will no longer play unskippable 30-second ads beginning in 2018.
Google is changing the approach to its video service’s advertising, electing instead to focus on shorter, more engaging formats, according to The Verge.
“We’re committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we’ve decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers,” Google reportedly said in a statement to Campaign.
Unskippable ads probably won’t go away in entirety, however. YouTube introduced unskippable six-second “bumper” ads back in April, and there’s no suggestion the service will remove 15 or 20-second ads that do not skip.
It remains unclear when exactly in 2018 YouTube will discontinue the 30-second format.
