YouTube ads have become increasingly disruptive in recent years. What began as occasional skippable ads between videos has morphed into a more intrusive experience, featuring lengthy unskippable ads that can last up to 30 seconds.
Well, now, things are about to get even more frustrating for those who aren’t paying to skip them. YouTube has confirmed that it will be rolling out pause ads on the platform, meaning users will have to sit through even more ads than before.
This new ad format appears when users pause their videos, adding another layer of advertising to YouTube’s already extensive ad experience.
YouTube’s communication manager, Oluwa Falodun, has confirmed the wide rollout of pause ads to all advertisers.
According to Falodun, the company has observed “strong advertiser and strong viewer response” to this new ad format. Pause ads are intended to create a less intrusive advertising experience for viewers, though it’s unclear whether this will lead to a reduction in other ad types on the platform.
Users on YouTube’s subreddit have shared instances of ads popping up on their screens when they pause videos.
The introduction of pause ads is one part of YouTube and Google’s ongoing efforts to refine their advertising approach.
Previous strategies have included showing longer ads less frequently, introducing multiple ads within videos, and implementing unskippable ads.
Also Read: YouTube starts slowing down their site for people with ad blockers enabled
These changes are coupled with the platform’s ongoing efforts to combat ad blockers, including measures that affect users who have ad-blocking features installed.
The Solution: YouTube Premium
While the increasing frequency of ads can be frustrating, YouTube offers a straightforward solution: YouTube Premium.
In Kenya, there are three YouTube Premium packages available—Individual, Family, and Student plans.
The Individual plan costs KES 499 per month, the Family plan is priced at KES 949 per month (allowing up to 5 family members), and the Student plan costs KES 289 per month, available only to eligible students with annual verification.
Benefits of YouTube Premium
Subscribers to YouTube Premium enjoy a range of features beyond ad-free viewing. These include background play, which allows users to listen to audio while using other apps or when their device screen is off.
Offline viewing is another key feature, enabling users to download videos for later viewing without an internet connection.
YouTube Premium also includes access to YouTube Music Premium, providing an ad-free music experience with background play and offline downloads.
Subscribers gain access to YouTube Originals, exclusive content produced by YouTube featuring popular creators.
The subscription model also offers better support for content creators, as a portion of the subscription fee goes directly to the creators whose content subscribers watch.
Additional perks include picture-in-picture mode for improved multitasking on mobile devices and higher audio and video quality for music videos.
