YouTube will no longer play unskippable 30-second ads beginning in 2018.
Google is changing the approach to its video service’s advertising, electing instead to focus on shorter, more engaging formats, according to The Verge.
“ We’re committed to providing a better ads experience for users online. As part of that, we’ve decided to stop supporting 30-second unskippable ads as of 2018 and focus instead on formats that work well for both users and advertisers,” Google reportedly said in a statement to Campaign.
Unskippable ads probably won’t go away in entirety, however. YouTube introduced unskippable six-second “bumper” ads back in April, and there’s no suggestion the service will remove 15 or 20-second ads that do not skip.
It remains unclear when exactly in 2018 YouTube will discontinue the 30-second format.