Content creators on any platform do what they do partly because of how much they can earn through ads. There's a level of influence over what kind and how advertisements show up in their videos depending on the site, but it looks like YouTube is taking away a few of those controls from creators.
YouTube's Ad Control Changes
Individual ad controls are being removed effective by November, which affects YouTube Studio's placement choices for pre-roll, post-roll, skippable, and non-skippable ads on new videos. The choice is limited between having the ads before or after the video.
When a creator chooses to have the ads on, the platform will decide on which kinds of ads will be shown and which part of the video it will show up on. It will also be YouTube's decision whether the ads are going to be placed.
YouTube's "Rob" says that most creators "shouldn't notice a change as they already have many of these ad formats turned on by default." The platform recommends that the best practice is to turn on all ad formats, which is the standard for everyone.
As mentioned in The Verge, more than 90% of long-form videos that were enabled for monetization at the time of publishing had pre-roll, post-roll, skippable, and non-skippable ads turned on, which is an unaffected aspect of the recent change.
Amidst the change, there is also an addition. There are a few new options for mid-roll ads, which let creators see a 60-second countdown before an ad appears on a live stream. There will be an option to skip the ad of the stream for it to remain uninterrupted.
YouTube plans to include an option for delaying mid-roll ads for ten minutes, as well as automated mid-roll ad breaks and manual selection in the next few months. Right now, creators can only pick one option.
As for advertisements, it remains in the same format. Skipabble ads will play for five seconds before the viewer can continue to the video. Non-skippable ads should be watched before the video plays and can range from 15 to 20 seconds, both of which can play before, during, or after.
YouTube is Strict with Ads
Other than the new change for content creators, YouTube is also particular about viewers trying to skip them. Back in June, the platform conducted a test that restricted users who have adblockers from viewing more than three videos.
Adblockers have been used to avoid annoying unskippable and skippable ads even without paying for the Premium subscription, but YouTube is not letting non-subscribers circumvent it. According to Bleeping Computer, it's a way for the platform to urge users to allow ads.
A spokesperson from the streaming service even said that in extreme cases where users continue to use adblockers on the website despite being alerted against it, YouTube might temporarily disable playback.
It's unclear whether the platform continues to test the policy, or if they're making it a permanent thing. Of course, it could be the case if YouTube plans to increase its subscriber base, or at least earn through ad revenue from those who don't.
