YouTube will start showing ads – even when not watching videos

Advertisers have responded well to new format, Google-owned company says

(Getty Images)

YouTube will start showing ads to users – even when they’re not actually watching videos.

The “pause ads” will show when viewers stop in the middle of a video, the company said.

They are static images that appear next to the current video. Some make specific reference to the fact that they are showing next to a paused video – as with one from Dunkin’ Donuts that said “this show might be paused, but your hunger isn’t”.

YouTube has long been warning that it is considering showing ads when videos are paused. Last year, it began to trial them with select advertisers.

But now it says that both advertisers and viewers have received them well – and that they will be coming to everyone.

“As we’ve seen both strong advertiser and strong viewer response, we’ve since widely rolled out Pause ads to all advertisers,” a YouTube spokesperson told the The Verge.

The company has suggested that pause ads represent a less disruptive way of showing marketing to users. But there is no indication that the usual ads – such as those that appear before and during videos while they are being watched – will actually show any less.

YouTube has been increasing the amount of advertising between its videos as it looks to further monetise its users. It has also encouraged the adoption of YouTube Premium – a popular offering that allows people to remove the ads from the platform.