{"id":20378,"date":"2023-08-30T22:18:49","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T04:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viralyft.com\/blog\/?p=20378"},"modified":"2026-05-25T01:45:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T07:45:00","slug":"youtube-ads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/viralyft.com\/blog\/youtube-ads","title":{"rendered":"YouTube Ads Guide (2026): Everything You Need To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to the World Advertising Research Center (WARC), YouTube\u2019s advertising reach includes <\/span>almost half the world\u2019s population<\/span><\/a>. Meanwhile, global investments in ads on the platform are expected to rise to $33.5 billion by the end of 2024.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, brands, companies, and entrepreneurs are reaching their target audiences on YouTube to convert sales and turn profits. And they\u2019re using the video-sharing app\u2019s native advertising platform to do it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You, too, can benefit from the massive potential of YouTube video advertising. And in our official YouTube Ads guide, we\u2019ll tell you everything you need to know to make your campaign a success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Use<\/span> YouTube Ads?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There\u2019s every reason to use YouTube Ads.<\/span><\/p>\n

With its huge reach, YouTube is the second most active social media platform in existence, according to <\/span>Datareportal<\/span><\/a>. This means it\u2019s also the second-best place in the world to push your digital ads out to your target audience and generate a return on investment (ROI).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Viewers also respond well to YouTube Ads. In fact, a viewer is <\/span>two times more likely<\/span><\/a> to buy something that they saw while watching a YouTube video, and 70% of audience members say that YouTube Ads make them more aware of new brands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It also makes sense to use YouTube Ads if you\u2019re already a YouTube creator. You\u2019ll already have a Google account set up. From there it only takes a few more steps to launch an ad campaign and start generating impressions to convert followers and customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

YouTube Advertising Formats and Requirements<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Here are the different advertising formats that you can use for your campaign on YouTube, as well as the platform\u2019s requirements for how ads should look.

<\/span>
<\/i><\/div>
Skippable In-Stream Ads \/ Non-skippable in-stream Ads:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
\n

Resolution:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1920 x 1080px (horizontal)
\n1080 x 1920px (vertical)
\n1080 x 1080px (square)<\/p>\n

Non-Skippable Ads Length:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Up to 15 seconds<\/div><\/div>

\n

Aspect Ratio:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

16:9 for horizontal
\n9:16 for vertical
\n1:1 for square<\/p>\n

Upload Size:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Upto 256 GB<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
<\/i><\/div>
Bumper Ads:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
\n

Resolution:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

640 x 360px
\n480 x 360px<\/p>\n

Video length:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

6 seconds<\/div><\/div>

\n

Aspect ratio:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

16:9 for horizontal
\n9:16 for vertical<\/p>\n

Upload Size:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Upto 1GB<\/div><\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
<\/i><\/div>
Masthead Ads:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
\n

Resolution:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At least 1920 x 1080px<\/p>\n

Video length:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Autoplay for Up to 30 seconds<\/div><\/div>

\n

Aspect ratio:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

16:9<\/p>\n

Upload Size:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Below 30 MB<\/div><\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
<\/i><\/div>
In-feed video Ads:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
\n

Resolution:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

1920 x 1080 px (horizontal)
\n1080 x 1080 px (square)<\/p>\n

Video length:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

No Limit<\/div><\/div>

\n

Aspect ratio:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

16:9 for horizontal
\n1:1 for square<\/p>\n

Size:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Upto 256 GB<\/div><\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n
<\/i><\/div>
Outstream Ads:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>\n

These advertisements are exclusively accessible on mobile apps and can be displayed in various formats, including banners, interstitials, in-feed, native, and both portrait and fullscreen modes<\/div><\/div>\n

Types of Ads<\/span> on YouTube<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are multiple <\/span>types of ads<\/span><\/a> you can use on YouTube. Let\u2019s go through them one at a time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Skippable In-Stream Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are the types of ads that play throughout a YouTube video and can be skipped by the viewer after 5 seconds of playback. There is no maximum length for a skippable in-stream ad, but YouTube recommends you make it no longer than 3 minutes long.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n

Non-skippable in-stream ads, as the name suggests, are ads that play throughout a YouTube video and can\u2019t be skipped by the viewer. The maximum runtime for this type of ad is 15 seconds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Bumper Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n

A bumper ad is a short advertisement that plays at the beginning of a YouTube video. It can\u2019t be skipped, but it can only be 6 seconds long.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Masthead Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n

A masthead ad plays without sound at the top of the Home screen on YouTube.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the desktop version of the platform, the advertisement appears alongside an information panel where up to two more videos from your channel can be displayed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the mobile version, there is no information panel, but you can customize the title and the description, as well as add an external call to action (CTA)<\/a>. Your channel name and profile picture will also be displayed.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. In-Feed Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n

In an in-feed ad, your video will be advertised in YouTube search results, with related YouTube videos on users\u2019 watch pages, and the homepage on the YouTube app. It will appear as a thumbnail with text, which users must click on to view the full video.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Outstream Ads<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are YouTube video ads that run on <\/span>Google video partner sites and apps<\/span><\/a>, but not YouTube itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Advertise<\/span> on YouTube: A Step-By-Step Guide<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Here are the steps you need to follow to start advertising on YouTube.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step #1: Create a Google Ads Account and Link It To Your YouTube Channel<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

You must <\/span>create a Google Ads account<\/span><\/a> and link it to your YouTube channel before you can run any video ads on the platform.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To sign up, go to <\/span>ads.google.com<\/span><\/a> and click Start Now. From there, you\u2019ll need to fill out information about your business, choose your campaign goals and a budget, and input your payment information. You can also link your YouTube channel during this stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step #2: Set Up a Video Campaign in Google Ads Manager<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now that you\u2019ve set up your Google Ads account and linked it to your YouTube channel, go to your Google Ads Manager and click New Campaign.<\/p>\n

Then click Create a campaign without a goal\u2019s guidance. Selecting this option will let you customize your video campaign to your liking.<\/p>\n

On the next screen, you\u2019ll be prompted to select a campaign type. Click Video.<\/p>\n

The last part of this step is to choose your ad campaign subtype. This will determine the combination of ad types that is best for helping you reach your goals. For example, there\u2019s a subtype called Non-skippable in-stream which is designed specifically for 15-second ads that can\u2019t be skipped.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not sure which one to choose, it\u2019s usually best to go with the first option, which is Custom video campaign. This one will give you the most flexibility in which ad types get displayed during your campaign.<\/p>\n

Step #3: Choose Your Bidding Strategy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Next, you\u2019ll be required to choose a bidding strategy for your video campaign. This is the part where you decide how you want to pay for your ads according to your campaign goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Depending on which campaign subtype you selected in step 2, you may only get a few bidding options. We\u2019ll cover those in more detail later in the guide when we talk about the cost of YouTube ads.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step #4: Choose the Network Where You Want Your Ads Displayed<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Google offers different networks where your ads can be displayed. You can choose to select all of the available ones or deselect ones that you don\u2019t like.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step #5: Choose What Types of Content You Want Your Ads Displayed On<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In this step, you must choose what types of content you want your ads to be displayed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most people choose <\/span>Standard Inventory<\/strong>, which will show your ads on websites that are appropriate for your brand \u2013 excluding those sites that contain strong profanity or strong sexual content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If sensitive content doesn\u2019t bother you and you\u2019re okay with advertising on those sites, then you can select <\/span>Expanded Inventory.<\/p>\n

And finally, if you want to limit sensitive content as much as possible, you can select Limited inventory. Just be aware that that means you\u2019ll have access to fewer ad spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step #6: Add Related Videos and Google Merchant Center Product Feed<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The next part of the process is where you can add related videos from your channel to your ad campaign. This will help you generate more engagement and <\/span>get more views<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is also where you can link your <\/span>Google Merchant Center (GMC)<\/span><\/a> product feed, if you have one. This will show your products alongside your ad, so that people can click on them if they\u2019re interested in buying them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step #7: Target Your Audience, Keywords, Topics, and Placements<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now it\u2019s time to set up the targeting for your ad. You can choose to target your ads based on the people you want to see them or the content you want them to be displayed on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

These are the Criteria You\u2019ll Need To Fill Out For People Targeting.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n