YouTube Advertising Formats and Video Options Guide
What does this guide explain?
YouTube ads are not one format. Choosing the right type depends on the campaign objective, message length, audience viewing behavior, and the stage you want to influence: awareness, viewing, engagement, or commercial action. This guide explains the current formats verified from Google Ads Help.
Information last reviewed: September 2, 2026
Guide sections
Current formats in Google Ads
Google Ads Help names primary video formats including Skippable in-stream, Non-skippable in-stream, In-feed video, Bumper, Masthead, and YouTube Shorts ads. Older terms and images that presented TrueView or Overlay as the main current formats have therefore been removed.
| Format | Core idea | When is it useful? |
|---|---|---|
| Skippable in-stream ads | In-stream ads that users can skip. | Useful when you need a wider explanation with a chance for interaction or click-through. |
| Non-skippable in-stream ads | In-stream ads that users cannot skip. | Useful for short, clear messages when full message viewing is necessary. |
| Bumper ads | Short non-skippable ads. | Useful for quick brand or offer reminders. |
| In-feed video ads | Ads that appear in discovery, search, and browsing placements inside YouTube. | Useful when you want users to choose to watch the video. |
| YouTube Shorts ads | Ads designed for the mobile Shorts experience. | Useful for fast vertical messages that fit Shorts viewing behavior. |
| Masthead ads | A prominent placement on key YouTube entry points. | Useful for large-reach campaigns that need special planning and budget. |
Review the official reference from About video ad formats in Google Ads Help.
How do you choose the suitable format?
For awareness and recall
Use a short, clear message in Bumper or Non-skippable when the goal is to fix a specific idea quickly.
For explanation and interaction
Use Skippable in-stream when you need more room to explain the offer and give users a chance to interact.
For discovery and search
Use In-feed video when you want users to choose to watch the video from search results or browsing placements.
For fast mobile viewing
Use Shorts ads when the message fits short, direct vertical content.
Preparing a usable advertising video
Choosing the ad format does not replace preparing a suitable video. The main message should appear early, audio and on-screen text should be clear, and the call to action should match the page or offer connected to the campaign.
- Write a short version of the core message before shooting or editing.
- Prepare horizontal and vertical versions if the campaign will use different placements.
- Test text readability on a mobile screen before publishing the final version.
- Connect the video to the campaign goal, not only to a nice visual look.
Note about the term TrueView
Some older YouTube pages used terms such as TrueView in-stream and TrueView in-display. This update uses the current format names shown in Google Ads Help so the page does not present historical terminology as today's primary working interface.
How can EGYdesigner help?
EGYdesigner can help you choose the suitable format, prepare the message and video, and connect the ad to a clear objective inside Paid Ads Management. As for Commercial YouTube Services they are a different context related to social presence and the channel, not a substitute for YouTube Ads campaign planning.
