InVideo Ads
How YouTube InVideo Ads Work
YouTube InVideo Ads run on partner watch pages. The Flash overlay ad will appear 10 seconds into the video. The user can click to display a video ad or interactive Flash ad within the YouTube video player, or go directly to a click-through URL. If the user doesn't clck the overlay to play a vide ad, the video will automatically play as post-roll.
The 300x250 companion display ad is optional but highly recommended. These elements are road-blocked for the same advertiser or campaign when present together. If a companion display ad is not provided, no other advertiser's creative will appear next to your overlay.
Creative Submission
Submissions should include advertiser and agency, IO number, campaign name, and detailed trafficking instructions.
Turnaround Time
Assets for these units should be received by YouTube no later than FOUR business days prior to campaign start date and sent to both Account Coordinator and Media Coordinator.
Required Assets
Overlay FLA + SWF (must use YouTube-provided template)
Optional Assets
- Companion display ad – Highly recommended
- YouTube watch page URL – Highly recommended
- Interactive Flash ad FLA + SWF (must use YouTube provided template)
Animated Flash Overlay Ad
Technical Specifications
- Must use YouTube-provided template
- Dimensions accepted: 480x70 pixels
- Formats accepted: FLA + SWF (must send both)
- Flash versions accepted: 8/9
- Frames per second: 25
- Maximum size: 100 KB
- Audio: no sound
- Scaling: creative must scale
- Fixed origin: origin is top left
- Maximum animation time: 10 seconds
- Minor elements: text/animations, may appear up to 70px & be opaque
- Major elements: backgrounds, limited to bottom 55px, max 80% alpha
- Functions required: Start mechanism (ad should not autoplay on load):
startAd();Stop mechanism (force close):
endAd();
Tracking Elements
- This element may not be third-party served.
- We can accept a third-party tracking pixel for the overlay impression.
- We can accept a third-party pixel for tracking the click-to-play event.
Reporting Metrics
- Ad impressions
- Clicks and click-through rate
- Clicks to play and clicks to play rate
Additional Details
- Flash overlay appears 10 seconds into the video.
- Closing the overlay exposes a small bottom-right-hand corner replay icon.
- Click through on Flash overlay can open a video ad, Flash interactive, or send users directly to a new website or YouTube Brand Channel.
- Be sure to include a compelling call to action on the overlay (i.e., play video, interact with the ad, watch companion content).
- Frequency cap: minimum at 1 impression per user per hour.
Companion Display Ad
Technical Specifications
- Dimensions accepted: 300x250 pixels
- Formats accepted: GIF/JPG/PNG OR SWF with backup GIF/JPG/PNG
- Flash versions accepted: 6/7/8/9
- Maximum Flash frame rate: 20
- Maximum file size (SWF): 50 KB
- Maximum file size (JPG/GIF/PNG): 50 KB
- Maximum animation: 15 seconds
Tracking Elements
- We can accept a third-party tag for this unit.
- We can accept Flash creative with third-party click tracking for this unit.
Reporting Metrics
- Ad impressions
- Clicks and click rate
Additional Details
The 300x250 companion display ad is optional but highly recommended. These elements are road-blocked for the same advertiser/campaign when present together. If companion display ad is not provided, no other advertiser's creative will appear next to your overlay.
Flash Video Ad
Technical Specifications
- Video Format: H.264, MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 preferred
- Aspect Ratio: Native aspect ratio without letterboxing (examples: 4:3, 16:9)
- Resolution: 640x360 (16:9) or 480x360 (4:3) recommended
- Audio Format: MP3 or AAC preferred
- Frames per second: 30
- Maximum length: 10 minutes (we recommend 2-3 minutes)
- Maximum file size: 1 GB
Resizing your video to these specifications before uploading will help your videos look better on YouTube.
Tracking Elements
- This element may not be third-party served.
- We cannot accept third-party tracking on this element.
Reporting Metrics
- Quartile reporting (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of video watched)
- Post-roll quartile reporting (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of video watched)
Additional Details
- This element is optional.
- This element is user-initiated.
- Video must be uploaded to & hosted on YouTube.
- Ad can click through to a watch page or an external URL.
- Closing the video ad exposes a small bottom-right-hand corner replay icon.
- If the video is not opened by the user, it is automatically played as a post-roll.
- Player and community metrics for this video are not displayed in the ad.
Flash Interactive
Technical Specifications
- Dimensions accepted: 400x285 pixels
- Formats accepted: FLA + SWF (must send both)
- Flash versions accepted: 8/9
- Frames per second: 25 fps
- Maximum size: 200 KB
- Audio: may contain sound
- Scaling: creative must scale or center on stage
- Click-through on the interactive needs to be built into the creative or the ad will not be clickable
- Fixed origin: origin is top left
- Functions required: Start mechanism (ad should not autoplay on load):
startAd();Stop mechanism (force close):
endAd();
Tracking Elements
- This element may not be third-party served.
- We cannot accept third-party tracking on this element.
Reporting Metrics
Clicks to play
Additional Details
- This element is optional.
- If element features a click-through, must open to a new window.
- Closing the overlay exposes a small bottom-right-hand corner replay icon.