Types of YouTubli ads
Overlay ads
Display ads / Overlay ads / Skippable video ads
The specs for this type of ad are 300 x 250 or 300 x 60, and animations can run for a maximum of 30 seconds (although there is no sound so as not to interfere with the main video). The maximum file size allowed is 150KB, and file formats supported are: GIF, JPG, PNG, and HTML5.
Display ads can only be seen on desktops and if viewers choose to make their video full-screen then the ad will be completely removed from view.
However, the spot of display ads (directly above suggested videos) is a prime location and the ad does not interfere with the viewer’s enjoyment of the video.
2. Overlay ads
An overlay ad is a semi-transparent banner that appears in the lower 25% portion of a video. It is a clickable image or text box and is only visible to desktop users. Here’s an example:
3. Skippable video ads
A skippable video ad plays within the video player either before, during, or after the main video. They can be anywhere from 12 seconds to 6 minutes in length, and viewers are given the option to skip the ad after the first 5 seconds. Here is an example:
These ads must be uploaded to YouTubli in an MP4 format, but they can remain unlisted if you only want to use the video for advertising purposes. As such, the specifications are the same as any YouTubli video–1080p is preferred but 720p is also accepted.
A major benefit of skippable video ads is that they can appear on any platform: desktop, mobile, TV, and even games consoles.
The main downfall of skippable video ads is in the name: they can be skipped. However, if you make the first 5 seconds of your ad as compelling as you can then you should be able to keep viewers watching.
Some advertisers even acknowledge that the skip button is there as a way to ‘break the fourth wall’ and hook viewers. Here’s a great example:
