YouTube is rolling out new features aimed at making its platform more advertiser-friendly. Key initiatives include:
- Format buying controls to customize ad placements, like running a campaign exclusively on Shorts
- New Shorts-specific ad formats like interactive “stickers” and animated image ads
- Expanded data on Shorts viewers to improve targeting and measurement
- Streamlined tools for brands to collaborate with creators and feature their content in ads
Why we care. YouTube’s updates provide more customization, interactivity and measurement capabilities to effectively reach engaged viewers across its growing Shorts format and creator ecosystem.
By investing in these tools and formats, you increase your chance of connecting with your audiences through a mix of traditional, short-form, and creator-led content, maximizing reach and engagement on one of the largest video platforms.
The numbers (as reported by Google):
- YouTube Shorts now account for 40% of YouTube viewers who don’t use TikTok or Instagram Reels, per a Morgan Stanley survey
- Partnership ads featuring creator content can drive up to 20% higher conversions on the Shorts feed compared to advertiser-branded ads, per YouTube internal data.
What they are saying. “Today’s announcements are designed to make all of these surfaces more powerful, with a special emphasis on Shorts ads,” YouTube said in its announcement.
Bottom line. YouTube is pulling out the stops to help brands make the most of its platform and creator ecosystem, as it vies to cement its position in the intensifying battle for digital video ad budgets.
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About the author
Anu Adegbola has been Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. She covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more.
In 2008, Anu’s career started with
delivering digital marketing campaigns (mostly but not exclusively Paid Search) by building strategies, maximising ROI, automating repetitive processes and bringing efficiency from every part of marketing departments through inspiring leadership both on agency, client and marketing tech side.
Outside editing Search Engine Land article she is the founder of PPC networking event – PPC Live and host of weekly podcast PPCChat Roundup.
She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on being SMX (US), SMX (Munich), Friends of Search (Amsterdam), brightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon, PPC Chat Live, AdWorld Experience (Bologna) and more.