Need Advice Question about the new mid-roll ad policy

[Tito Tim]

I got an email today about the new mid-roll ads policy. It says that when they change the limit from 10 minute vids to 8 minute vids - they will automatically inset ads. Even if you opted out before. They go on to say you can opt-out (again) by 27JUL2020.

As part of this change, mid-roll ads will be turned on for all eligible existing videos and future video uploads, including those videos where you may have previously opted out of mid-roll ads.

On the monetization tab there is a banner to make opting out very easy. It is automatically opted in, now. I had previously opted out already. I want to opt out, because I personally hate all ads. Even as a creator I find it hard to believe anyone surfs without AdBlock... My wife says to leave it opted in, but she is young and is not bothered by ads ha ha

I have never used mid-roll ads and wonder what luck any of y'all have had with them. All I can go by is what I do. I have not watched an ad on tv since the DVR was invented. I never saw many ads online because I have used AdBlock since the late 1990s. When I first started watching YouTube (2006), I do think they had ads and I never realized they added them because I have AdBlocker (I have heard that Facebook also has ads but cannot confirm that ha ha). A mid-roll ad would be the fastest way to get me to click off your vid. Am I the only one like that?

My wife complains about mid-roll ads but watches them. She says I should let YT enable them, I am inclined to go opt out again.

• Do you use mid-roll ads? If so, what is your experience with them? (placement and revenue)
• do you let YT place them automatically?
• how many ads would a 30 minute video likely get?

 

[Travel Interesante]

My wife and I use them, but try to limit it them to 2 at most if the video is around 10-12 minutes long. I'd be reluctant to use more than 1 mid-roll in an 8-10 minute video. Technically, you can do as many as you want and I found some complaining on Reddit about a major YouTuber having 6-7 ads in a 10ish minute video and that being way too much. Having 2 mid-rolls has not affected my audience retention in a major way from what I can tell, but we've only been monetized for a little over 2 weeks now. I do them manually and try to base it on audience retention and put 1 mid-roll a bit before I anticipate the average viewer dropping out (and tweak it a bit as needed) and another a bit more towards the end in hope that people who are already committed to making it 70% or so through my video won't mind another ad.

Like you, I previously used Adblocker on YouTube and thought nothing of it, but now have a different perspective on it. Provided there aren't too many, like the above example, I wait out the 30 seconds for my favorite creators now in their mid-roll ads to let them get paid. I still use Adblocker on every other site though. Finally, for a 30 minute video, you can certainly experiment, while keeping your audience retention rate in mind and place them as you please without bombarding your audience.

 

[Tito Tim]

If I use them I would be lazy and let YT set them up... but is there a way I can let them add them - but only 1 per vid? No matter how long the vid is I would want no more than 1 break. If I have to do it manually, I will just opt out.

 

[Stanley | Team TB]

i use midrolls sparingly. I try to make 15-20 minute videos but i also let the content dictate actual length, so often i am left with a 6-10 minute product. I will put on manually-placed midroll on videos over 10 minutes (and may continue that for 8 minute vids).

After 1 year with no midrolls we implemented 1 per 10+ min vid this spring and have seen about a 25% gain in revenue.

I would not trust YouTube to automatically place them... in fact i try to create a decent space for one while filming. Like you i want to be as unobtrusive as possible. If i were to achieve a full 30 minute video i would likely increase the number of midrolls to 3-5 in order to offset the work that would go into making that length video.

 

[Travel Interesante]

You can let them add it and adjust after. They automatically add 3 per each video and you can just delete the 2 you don't want.

 

[WorldComposting]

I turn them on for videos over 10 minutes but have to admit I pay for YouTube Premium so I never see ads.

I think YouTube is doing this so they can run more ads on popular videos that are under 10 minutes. I know people in advertising and many clients are not spending money in this area due to the pandemic and while YouTube parent Alphabet is probably getting a good amount of ad revenue they are probably trying to optimize it as much as possible hence the change.

 

[JoshKimche]

I think changing it to 8 mintues is good, I've seen a lot of popular videos which are about 10 and 2 seconds long with just a minute of waffle in order to have the mid roll.
I think most people are used to seeing adverts on YouTube, although its a bit strange where they can be placed, if seen punchlines and payoffs been ruined by literally putting an ad in the middle of it

 

[Tito Tim]

I guess I will not opt-out, and see how it goes. I think I will let YT add them at first and see it they do a good job. If not, it is easy enough to adjust later. My vids basically have a 4 day life anyway. Once my 500 regulars watch.... that is all.... So if YT adds any mid-rolls on my older vids, no one will notice ha ha

 

[IanDominicTV]

I have not yet reached monetization, but 8 minutes seem good enough, even though my videos rarely reach 8 minutes.