In this article, you'll not only learn about the duration and aspect ratios of various YouTube video formats, but also about the "blind spots" viewers experience while watching videos. You'll discover how to plan the visual sequence of your video properly so that users see the important elements.
We'll be looking at video parameters for the main YouTube video formats since, while types of ad campaigns frequently change, the formats remain constant. So, let's dive in.
In-Stream
- Ads shown during video playback in the player.
- Orientation: Horizontal.
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9.
- Duration:
- 15 seconds – non-skippable.
- 15 seconds or longer – skippable (the first 5 seconds must be highly engaging since the user decides whether to continue watching or skip).
- Viewable zones:
- Text Fields:
- Call-to-Action button – 10 characters.
- Headline – 15 characters.
- Long headline – available for conversion-focused campaigns, up to 90 characters.
Example: Long In-Stream Headline
Discovery
- Video shown in the YouTube feed (commonly called "in the feed").
- Orientation: Horizontal.
- Aspect ratio: 16:9.
- Duration: No limit, set as desired.
- Viewable Zones: Fully viewable since there’s no skip button or scrolling.
- Text Fields:
- Headline – up to 100 characters.
- Description 1, Description 2 – up to 35 characters each.
Example: Discovery Text Fields
Shorts
- Video shown in the Shorts tab. Though similar to In-Stream, we treat it separately as these videos appear in a unique section of YouTube.
- Orientation: Vertical.
- Aspect Ratio: 9:16.
- Duration: Up to 60 seconds.
- Viewable Zones:
- Text Fields: Depend on the ad group where the video is uploaded.
While you may come across mentions of square video formats for YouTube ads online, such formats are not currently supported in advertising tools.
We hope you found this information helpful. See you again on our blog.
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