YouTube users will see a new form of ‘transparent’ Flash-based overlay, covering the bottom fifth of videos. More interactive formats have been trialled, including a CD carousel feature allowing users to view Warner’s music catalogue.Users can click the overlay to either expand adverts or make them disappear, while video content is paused.
During trials, nine out of ten users opted to view the ad, with three quarters of the sample viewing the entire advert. Users were between five and 10 times more likely to click through to the full ad than with traditional formats such as banners.
Eileen Naughton, director of media and platforms, said that a number of advertising formats were trialled for user appeal, to allay concerns over commercialisation of the site.
A user survey conducted by Google found that 73 per cent did not mind the overlay format as long as content remained free.
Adverts will only appear next to professional content supplied by YouTube’s official partners. These include the BBC and Chelsea FC in the UK.
Approximately 50 US advertisers have signed up to the new format so far, including Fox Pictures, NewLine and BMW, and the service will roll out internationally in the coming months.
The latest Nielsen/NetRatings figures place YouTube as the seventh most poplar brand globally (by unique users). It is still growing significantly. In June, the site had 94.5m unique global users, a 47 per cent increase on December 2006.Google bought YouTube late last year for $1.65bn (£830 mn).
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