YouTube is changing the way its ads are shown on videos with the removal of “Overlay ads” from content starting April 6.
“Overlay ads” are banner-style popup ads that often disrupt the playing content on YouTube for desktop or browser.
The company confirmed the decision in a YouTube Help Forum post. The confirmed their choice of the “legacy ad format”. They determined it as “disruptive for viewers.” The option is no longer on the mobile platform. They preferred the skippable pre-, mid-, and post-roll ad formats.
“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,” says the post.
The video platform also said that the removal of overlay ads option will have a “limited impact” on YouTube Creators.
There will be a shift toward “other ad formats.” What these will constitute? We have yet to see.
Desktop platforms are the only place in which these ads are shown. This may make up a smaller proportion of ads found on eligible monetized content.
From April 6, 2023, you will lose the option to activate or add “Overlay ads” from within YouTube Studio in the monetization options.
We have yet to find out what Google is planning to replace these pop-up ads with. The “other ad formats” could include the recent “Product Tagging” feature. It allows creators to tag products used or featured in videos.
The change will undoubtedly benefit viewers on desktops. Intrusive elements will no longer obscure or disrupt with video content.
Selected ad-blocking plugins are already capable of blocking these ad content.
