Google Implements New Tiered Inventory for Video Campaigns

For years, advertisers were able to exclude content from several categories when creating YouTube campaigns including conflict, sensitive social issues, sexually suggestive content, sensational and shocking and profanity and rough language. While these exclusions were not perfect, they did provide advertisers a multi-tiered level of control.

In early September 2018, Google will be implementing a new, three-tier inventory structure for video content. These three tiers are Expanded Inventory, Standard Inventory and Limited Inventory. Under this new structure, advertisers will no longer be able to use sensitive content categories to exclude content for video campaigns. According to Google, these inventory options within Google Ads encompass all of the previous categories and should have limited, if any, impact on where ads show on YouTube and the Google video network.

Expanded inventory offers the greatest range – letting ads show on all videos in the Google video network that meet standards for monetization. Standard inventory is the default selection for new and existing campaigns and will show ads on content Google deems appropriate for most brands, such as music videos, movie trailers and documentaries. Limited inventory is the most restrictive – reducing video inventory by approximately 15% – 20% from standard inventory. In limited inventory, ads will show on content that is “appropriate for brands with particularly strict guidelines around inappropriate language and sexual suggestiveness – above and beyond what our advertiser-friendly content guidelines address.” For example, ads will be excluded from showing on some of YouTube’s most popular music videos and other pop culture content.

The below chart provides a side-by-side examination of content allowed for each inventory type for further clarification.

To reiterate, there is no guarantee around the exact content against which an ad is going to run, as we are only able to control placements as much as Google/YouTube will allow. With Google’s heightened awareness and vast improvements with content exclusions and removals over the past year, this change should have little to no effect.

At True Media, we continually work to preemptively combat any content alignment issues by performing regular placement audits and adjusting the appropriate inventory type for each brand to assure ads run on appropriate, brand-safe placements. Additionally, we monitor campaigns on an ongoing basis to proactively prevent these issues and react quickly to any unforeseen conflicts that may occur in order to eliminate any future complications.

Written By:
Joey Fendler, Sr. Search Specialist
Steve Sherfy, Search Strategist