YouTube Shorts Ads Now Have Comments on Mobile Web
▼ Summary
– YouTube is adding comment sections to eligible Shorts ads, requiring the advertiser’s channel to be linked to their Google Ads or DV360 account for moderation.
– Shorts creators can now include direct links to a brand’s website in their branded content, sending viewers to the advertiser’s site.
– Shorts ads are now being delivered to mobile web browsers, expanding their reach beyond the YouTube mobile app to include phone browsers.
– These updates aim to increase advertiser engagement and provide direct conversion paths, positioning Shorts for holiday campaigns.
– Research indicates Creator Ads on Shorts significantly boost purchase intent and consumer spending intent compared to competitor ads.
YouTube is introducing several significant updates to its Shorts advertising platform, focusing on enhanced interactivity and broader reach. These changes are designed to provide marketers with more tools for engagement and to expand the potential audience for short-form video ads, particularly as brands plan their seasonal marketing strategies.
A major new feature allows eligible Shorts ads to now display a comment section. This brings the ad experience closer to the interactive environment users expect from regular, non-promotional Shorts. To qualify for this feature, an advertiser must have their YouTube channel properly linked to their Google Ads or DV360 account. Once enabled, comment moderation will utilize the same suite of controls available within YouTube Studio, giving brands direct oversight of the conversation.
For creators producing branded content, a new linking capability has been added. Shorts creators who are collaborating with brands can now include a direct link to the advertiser’s website within their video. When a viewer taps on this link, they are taken straight to the brand’s site, creating a streamlined path from entertainment to action and potentially improving conversion metrics for partnership campaigns.
Furthermore, YouTube is significantly widening the distribution network for these ads. Previously confined to the YouTube mobile app, Shorts ads will now also be delivered to users watching on mobile web browsers. This expansion captures viewers who prefer to access YouTube through a browser on their phone rather than downloading the dedicated application. The format was already available on mobile apps, desktop, and connected TV, making mobile web the final major frontier for this ad type.
The introduction of comments offers advertisers a valuable new channel for community interaction and feedback, mirroring the engagement organic content receives. The creator linking function provides a clear and direct call-to-action from influencer collaborations. Meanwhile, the mobile web expansion substantially increases the total addressable audience for Shorts campaigns.
Supporting the platform’s value, YouTube referenced a Kantar study indicating that Creator Ads on Shorts can boost purchase intent by 8.8% and generate nearly three times more consumer spending intent compared to ads on rival platforms. The technical specifications for these ads remain unchanged: vertical video is still the recommended format. While videos can be up to three minutes long, only the first 60 seconds will play within the dedicated Shorts feed. For optimal performance, videos shorter than 60 seconds are advised to align with typical viewer behavior for short-form content.
(Source: Search Engine Journal)
