Summary
- YouTube is changing mid-roll ads for fewer interruptions and increased creator revenue.
- The platform plans to show fewer ads in crucial moments to improve viewer experience.
- YouTube content creators will benefit from tools to optimize ad placements in videos for better results.
YouTube is making a significant change to the way that its mid-roll ads work. The alteration is reportedly being made to improve the experience for both YouTube content creators and their viewers.
YouTube ads have been a major point of contention in recent times, with some users voicing frustration with the video platform. Complaints have ranged from being frustrated with an excess of ads to the content contained within. However, following YouTube’s tremendous 2024 earnings via ads, it’s unlikely that the overall quantity or length of the ads will be reduced anytime soon.
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Now, YouTube has announced a forthcoming change that will go into effect on May 12. YouTube says it’s “improving the quality” of mid-roll ads, which can appear anywhere in the middle of a video, rather than prior to it starting or following the video’s completion. YouTube says that it will begin showing more mid-roll ads at “natural break points” where YouTube believes that viewers will be less bothered by them. The wording indicates that ads may have appeared in the middle of sentences or scenes that would interrupt flow and potentially lead viewers to stop watching a video entirely out of frustration, which could have a significant impact on YouTube subscribers and viewers.
YouTube Mid-Roll Ads to Change, But How Will Users React?
YouTube also notes that it will show “fewer ads” in places like mid-sentence or the middle of an action sequence. YouTube is also rolling out tools for video creators to help them determine when mid-roll ads are placed at problematic points that could be turning viewers away from their uploads. Older videos uploaded prior to February 24, 2025 that contain manually-set mid-roll ads will be updated to include “additional automatic ad-slots at natural break points.” YouTube content creators who use automatic mid-roll ads won’t need to make any changes, but users who set up manual mid-roll ads will want to check into YouTube Studio to see how best to utilize them going forward.
The YouTube ad changes are being expressed in an optimistic manner, stating that its tests have shown a potential for increased revenue for channels while frustrating viewers less. However, it’s unclear if viewers will agree with this sentiment. As YouTube has clamped down on ad-blockers, some users have become more outspoken in their complaints. The only legitimate option to avoid ads at this point is to sign up for YouTube Premium, though some users have complained that they’ve still seen promotions or sponsorships appearing during select videos, even with the premium service.
