YouTube Tests Choose-Your-Own Ads

topics

News From Us:

Our latest report; our new video section; and jobs with paidContent.org and paidContent:UK

YouTube Tests Choose-Your-Own Ads

Adding more fuel to the notion that there’s no one “sweet spot” for ad formats on YouTube, comes news that the video site is testing a “choose your own” ad feature. Viewers will be able to pick between watching a single pre-roll ad (usually 30 seconds or longer) or up to four commercial breaks (at least 15 seconds each) within a given clip. If they go with the pre-roll, there’s also a choice between two different ads.

YouTube product manager Phil Farhi said that soliciting viewers’ opinions would help the company “find the right advertising formats;” the brands themselves would also benefit if YouTube ends up providing real-time data on which ads most users were volunteering to watch.

Since it’s just a test, the option will only show up for certain viewers; the choose your own ads are also only running against premium, long-form content (like the pictured episode of Alf). The idea may be new for YouTube, but Hulu has been testing self-selected ad units from the start. Video ad and tech firm Tremor Media also launched V-Choice, a user-selected ad option, earlier this month (per NewTeeVee).

Related Stories

Tameka Kee

@GeekyChic Jun 15, 2009 3:47 PM ET

Posted In: Advertising, Technologies / Formats, Broadband, Companies, Google, YouTube

latest headlines

Shane Lundy

The typical cycle for any disruptive paradigm to reach maturity is about 15 years. SponsorSelect is 8 years into that cycle. SponsorSelect is a premium ad network that is reinventing behavioral targeting. Built atop a robust ad server that has already been deployed with numerous publishers, SponsorSelect was the first solution that allowed Internet users to choose the advertising they wish to see in exchange for getting access to content.
SponsorSelect was developed by AWS and integrated into its flagship property, WeatherBug, in 2002. From 2007 to 2008, AWS built a network of 3rd party sites leveraging SponsorSelect. Seeing the huge potential for SponsorSelect, AWS spun the company out. SponsorSelect works through a wide network of advertisers and publishers and acts as a micropayment to access free content. By allowing users to self-select advertising, SponsorSelect delivers performance without privacy concerns. When advertising is more relevant and performs better for advertisers, publishers make more money and can provide better content and services to users for free.
We are encouraged that the biggest players in the industry are beginning to see the value in self targeting and we look forward to the day when On-Demand Advertising is a reality.