YouTube Irks Users by Displaying 5 to 10 Unskippable Ads in a Row

Have you been encountering way too many unskippable ads on YouTube? You’re not alone. 

Oftentimes, YouTube only shows two ads before a video starts. But in recent weeks, some users on social media have reported(Opens in a new window) seeing as many as five(Opens in a new window) to eight(Opens in a new window) or even 10(Opens in a new window) unskippable ads in a row. 

One user who encountered eight unskippable ads during a viewing said(Opens in a new window) each ad was about five to 10 seconds in length.

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The high ad load is inevitably causing concerns YouTube will display more unskippable ads for all users in an effort to rake in more revenue. But the Google-owned platform told PCMag the sharp increase in the unskippable ads was merely a test.  

“At YouTube, we’re focused on helping brands connect with audiences around the world, and we’re always testing new ways to surface ads that enhance the viewer experience,” a YouTube spokesperson says in a statement. “We ran a small experiment globally that served multiple ads in an ad pod when viewers watched longer videos on connected TVs. The goal is to build a better experience for viewers by reducing ad breaks.” 

In other words, the test was about showing the viewer more ads in the beginning of the YouTube video, rather than spacing them out. YouTube’s spokesperson adds: “We have concluded this small experiment.” But whether the platform will ramp up the unskippable ad rate in the future remains unclear. 

Still, YouTube points out that the frequency of ad breaks matters to viewers, especially for longer videos, citing past user experience research(Opens in a new window). Fewer commercial breaks means a higher chance the viewer will watch through the entire clip, including the attached ads, the platform adds.

Nevertheless, YouTube will have to balance the ad load against potentially alienating the public. Some users are already commenting(Opens in a new window) that YouTube risks becoming like cable TV by showing so many ads during the video clips. Meanwhile, others are encouraging the use of ad blockers.