YouTube Now Displays Adverts When Paused

YouTube has been working on introducing new advertising formats on its platform for a while now. It’s no surprise that this plan is now being implemented, especially after Google’s recent restrictions on ad blockers.

The company has confirmed to The Verge that advertisers will now be able to display ads when users pause a video. While YouTube claims to have received a positive response from both advertisers and viewers during testing, some users on Reddit have already encountered these ads on the pause screen, expressing shock and annoyance.

Ads spotted in the wild

The reaction to the new form of advertising is mixed, with concerns about interrupting the viewing experience. While YouTube insists that the ads will not be disruptive during video pauses, users have raised issues about the annoyance of being bombarded with ads when simply pausing a video momentarily.

Amazon is also exploring similar advertising opportunities on Prime Video, aiming to integrate ads seamlessly. Companies are experimenting with ways to make advertising more lucrative and creative, regardless of viewer preferences.

One potential benefit of this new advertising approach is that YouTube promises to reduce the number of regular ads shown on videos in exchange.

But what about the UK?

While the new ad format has not yet been introduced in the UK, it’s likely to happen soon. In the meantime, the best way to avoid these ads is by subscribing to YouTube Premium.