YouTube expands 30-second audio ads, said to be 2nd most popular podcast listening destination

Abner Li | Oct 17 2022 - 12:00 pm PT

At Advertising Week New York, YouTube made a series of announcements on new marketing tools available on the platform. Most notably, YouTube continues its embrace of podcasts with 30-second audio ads.

The Google video platform starts by citing research (Edison Podcast Consumer Tracking Report, US, Q1 2022) that says it is the “second most popular destination for listening to podcasts.” YouTube introduced audio ads in beta in November of 2020 with an equal music focus. For their new global availability (purchasable from Google Ads and Display & Video 360), audio ads are said to “reach people on audio surfaces and in listening-first states.”

Podcast targeting that lets brands and agencies focus on audio program listeners is now also globally available.

Other developments today include product feeds in Discovery ads (which also span Gmail’s Promotions and Social tabs, as well as Google Discover) that appear on YouTube. Moving forward, there will be the ability to include local offers with real-time inventory availability. Similarly, the ability for Creators to tag products in YouTube Shorts and videos is seeing wider availability this quarter.

You’ll see these features, some of your favorite creators and more at the second annual YouTube Shopping holiday event, “From YouTube to You,” kicking off on November 10. This year’s event will include livestreams, videos, and Shorts featuring brands and retailers like Ulta Beauty and TULA Skincare.

Also of note is a new YouTube offering called “Moment Blast” aimed at “brands looking to raise awareness during key moments.” Cited examples include movie releases, sporting events, and product launches. Advertisers get “prime positioning” on YouTube Select videos viewed from connected TVs and other devices, as well as a Branded Title Card and optional Masthead placement.