If you thought YouTube ads were already pushing it with those long, unskippable interruptions, think again! Now, even hitting the pause button won’t give you a break from ads.
Yep, you heard that right. YouTube has rolled out a new feature where ads pop up on your screen when you pause a video. The idea? To create what YouTube calls a “less interruptive” experience. But users on social media aren’t exactly thrilled about this latest update.
Social Media Goes Wild
It didn’t take long for people to notice this “feature.” One X (formerly Twitter) user voiced their frustration with a simple, “Seriously @YouTube? You’re putting up ads when you pause a video now?” Another Reddit user couldn’t contain their annoyance, posting, “THIS IS THE MOST ANNOYING ‘FEATURE’ (if you can even call it a feature) YET,” and the caps-lock says it all.
Why Is This Happening?
According to YouTube, these pause ads have been around since 2023 in some smart TVs as part of a pilot program. The idea was to allow advertisers to reach viewers in a way that wouldn’t interrupt their binge-watching. And guess what? It worked – for YouTube, at least.
Philipp Schindler, the man behind sales at Google and YouTube, shared during an earnings call that the “pause ads” have been very profitable for the platform. They’ve seen strong brand engagement and, of course, ad revenue. In April, Schindler said that advertisers were loving the results and were willing to pay premium rates to show these pause ads.
What’s in It for You?
The good news? If you hate these ads as much as some people do, there’s always YouTube Premium. For $13.99 a month, you can skip all ads – pause ads included. But if you’re not ready to shell out that cash, get ready to see more ads popping up the next time you hit pause.
Is This the Future of YouTube?
With YouTube rolling these pause ads out more widely, it’s clear that ads aren’t going anywhere. According to YouTube, the ads are a seamless way for viewers to learn more about brands without ruining the overall experience. Whether you agree with that or not is another story.
So, next time you pause a video to grab a snack or answer the door, don’t be surprised when an ad pops up. YouTube isn’t giving you a break, even when you hit pause.
Let me know if you want to tweak anything or make it even more engaging!
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