Google News
YouTube, the video-sharing giant, has announced that it will remove the "Overlay Ads" format from its desktop platform starting April 6th, 2023. This move is aimed at improving the viewer experience and shifting engagement to higher-performing ad formats on desktop and mobile devices.
What are Overlay Ads?
Overlay ads, as the name suggests, are advertisements that appear over the video, typically at the bottom edge of the screen. These ads have been a source of annoyance for many users, and it appears that YouTube has finally listened to its audience.
Adios to Overlay Ads
YouTube has confirmed that as of April 6th, 2023, this type of ad will no longer be shown to users, nor will it be available as an option in YouTube Studio. The video service expects the impact of this change to be limited, as these ads will be replaced by another format.
"Starting on April 6th, 2023, the 'Overlay ads' ad format will no longer appear on YouTube to help improve the viewer experience and shift engagement to higher-performing ad formats on desktop and mobile devices. Overlay ads are a legacy ad format that only served on desktop and are disruptive for viewers.
We expect to see limited impact for most creators as engagement shifts to other ad formats," said YouTube in a statement.
Replacing Overlay Ads
The format that will replace the outgoing Overlay Ads is still unknown, but it is believed that the focus will be on pre, mid, and post-roll ads.
YouTube has stated that most users have already shifted to other forms of advertisements on the platform, and the change is not expected to have much impact on the viewer experience. "These advertisements are only displayed on the desktop and we expect to see a limited impact for most Creators as engagement changes to other ad forms," the company said.
Impact on YouTube Creators
For YouTube creators, the change is expected to have limited impact, as engagement shifts to other ad formats. Creators will still be able to activate overlay ads in YouTube Studio until April 6th, after which the functionality will be taken away.
YouTube's decision to remove Overlay Ads is a step towards improving the viewer experience and providing a more seamless viewing experience. The change is expected to have limited impact on YouTube creators and the overall user experience.