While YouTube hasn’t confirmed any changes, there are many people reporting that the number of ads they are seeing has gone up noticeably in recent weeks. An SEO consultant and podcaster, Dan Shure, said that during one 17-minute video he saw two pre-roll ads, two ads 1/3 through the video, and then two more ads at 2/3 through the video. Some of these ads, such as the pre-rolls, were able to be skipped, but that is still a lot of interruptions to the viewers.
The YouTube spokesperson gave the following response when asked about this by MarketingLand, “Our goal is to ensure ads are useful and relevant to users. The amount of ads that a user sees will vary based on a number of factors including ad preferences and the dynamics of auction and advertiser demand.”
If it is true that YouTube is actively increasing the rate of advertisemetns that are displayed, it will have a significant impact on marketers. Some content creators may like the increase as they should see additional profits from their cut of the ads. Many, however, use YouTube to drive traffic and any ad breaks give viewers a chance to stop watching.
Watching this closely to see if YouTube confirms any changes, or they roll back the increased ad numbers in the near future.
