YouTube steps up roll out of Shorts ads

YouTube Shorts ads are being rolled out to more advertisers as the solution moves from beta to general availability.

For the first time, Marketers are reporting the ability to choose Short ads as a video format, integrate them with in-stream ads and combine them with in-feed ads.

While many advertisers worldwide are finally gaining access to these new options, Google notes that this feature is not yet available on all accounts but will be rolled out to all advertisers within the coming months.

Why we care. PPC consultant Kristian Maltzahn, who was the first to flag the feature on LinkedIn, told Search Engine Land:

• “YouTube the Shorts format is what everyone is talking about right now, so I’m really excited about this!”
• “The shorts format opens up for a whole new way of approaching YouTube Ads. YouTube ads have for a long time been a platform for TV-quality advertising, which is of course really interesting and still very relevant. However I think the demand from consumers is changing, which we have seen with ads on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.”
• “I think YouTube Shorts welcomes that form of demand and makes it possible for marketers to embrace it. I think YouTube chose not to make the format exclusively available for marketers at first, to make sure that users wouldn’t be introduced to a new format that was pumped full of ads.”
• “So the fact that YouTube are now opening up for more exclusively advertising on Shorts, I think is a testament to how quickly the format has gained popularity.”

Getting started. To check if the YouTube Shorts ad format is available on your YouTube Ads account, go to:

• Create Campaign.
• Choose “Create a campaign without a goal’s guidance”.
• Select “Video”.
• If the feature is available on your account, you will find it under Video in the Efficient Reach section.

Expansion. Google Ads is reportedly planning to expand this feature to additional video campaign formats in the near future, so make sure you stay tuned for future updates.

What Google is saying. A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land:

• “Ads on Shorts rolled out in 2022 and this year we announced new Shorts for awareness ads solutions. That highlighted the beta inclusion of Shorts in Video reach campaigns and the pilot of YouTube Select Run of Shorts lineups.”
• “Shorts in Video reach campaigns are now generally available to all advertisers but YouTube Select Run of Shorts lineups remain in limited pilots.”
• “The new YouTube Select lineups are Shorts-specific. And with the evolution of Video reach campaigns, advertisers can opt in to just Shorts or other surfaces, should they choose.”
• “YouTube is a dynamic platform, so advertisers are encouraged to take advantage of the solutions that allow them to achieve their goals fluidly across formats.”

Deep dive. Read our guide to getting your YouTube Shorts noticed for tips and tricks for maximum engagement.