YouTube Shorts ads are vertical video ads that play between organic Shorts and can be skipped straight away with a swipe. You don't buy them in a separate product: you run them through a Google Ads campaign, such as Demand Gen, Video views, Video reach with the Efficient reach goal, Performance Max or an app campaign, and Google places your video in the Shorts feed.
If you're a small business already making Shorts, the creative you need probably exists. Here's where the ads appear, which campaign to pick for your goal and the one setting that decides whether a Video reach campaign shows on Shorts at all.
How a Shorts ad behaves
- It appears between organic Shorts, so it looks and feels like the videos around it.
- Viewers can skip it immediately by swiping up or down.
- If someone scrolls back, the ad is kept and shown again.
- For app campaigns, tapping the call-to-action button opens the app store install page in line.
That instant skip is the point to plan around. There's no countdown before someone can leave, so the first second has to earn the next one.
Where YouTube Shorts ads appear
Google lists these placements inside the YouTube app and on YouTube in desktop and mobile browsers:
| Placement | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Shorts tab | The main vertical feed people swipe through |
| Shorts shelves | Rows of Shorts surfaced on the Home and Search feeds |
| Channel feed | Shorts on channel pages |
| Gaming, Shopping and Subscriptions feeds | The Shorts that appear in those YouTube feeds |
| Multi-format entry | Entry points that mix Shorts with other formats |
Google also notes that Shorts ads serve on tablets, mobile and desktop browsers and connected devices such as streaming devices, gaming consoles and TVs, so a vertical ad can end up on a living room screen.
Which campaign type to choose
| Your goal | Campaign type Google lists for Shorts |
|---|---|
| Engagement and action across YouTube, Discover and Gmail | Demand Gen |
| Consideration and more video views | Video views |
| Brand awareness at the best cost per person reached | Video reach with the Efficient reach goal |
| Guaranteed placement for big launches | YouTube reservation through YouTube Select Shorts, arranged with a Google Ads representative |
| Conversions across all of Google's channels | Performance Max |
| App installs or re-engagement | App Install and App Re-engagement |
Google says you get reporting on Shorts activity, and more control over running on Shorts, through Demand Gen, Video views, Video reach and reservation campaigns.
How to buy Shorts ads with a Video reach campaign
Here's the condition Google sets. Google says Shorts ads are only available on Video reach campaigns that use the Efficient reach goal, not the other Video reach goals. With that goal you're charged when someone views your ad, and the campaign optimises for the best cost per unique person reached.
- Create a Video reach campaign in Google Ads and choose the Efficient reach goal.
- Plan the mix in Reach Planner, selecting Shorts to see forecast reach and cost per impression for your budget and targeting.
- In the Multi-format ads section, tick YouTube Shorts. You can change this setting during the campaign too.
- Add vertical videos, and horizontal ones as well if you have them.
- Use the ad preview to check how text and the side panel display on Shorts before you launch.
What Google recommends for the creative
- Use a variety of vertical videos and messages.
- Keep each video between 10 and 60 seconds.
- Use trending music and sound.
- Mix vertical and horizontal assets: Google prioritises the vertical one on Shorts, but will still serve a horizontal video there if that's all you've given it.
What Google recommends for targeting
Keep targeting broad so the campaign can reach enough people. Google suggests affinity, in-market and custom segments, detailed demographics and life events, and advises against restricting a Shorts-only campaign with custom search term segments.
Shorts ads compared with Meta's vertical video ads
If you already run vertical video on Facebook and Instagram, the creative transfers well, but the buying works differently: on Google the placement is decided inside the campaign settings. My Facebook video ads guide covers the Meta side, and if you're setting up Google Ads for the first time, start with how a Google Ads campaign is structured.
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My verdict
For a small business, Shorts ads make most sense when you already film vertical video, because the same clip can run on Shorts, Reels and TikTok. Start with Demand Gen if you want action, or Video reach on Efficient reach if you want awareness, and remember to tick YouTube Shorts in the multi-format section, because without that box your Video reach campaign won't show there. Then make the first second do the work: there's no grace period before a swipe.
Frequently asked questions
What are YouTube Shorts ads?
YouTube Shorts ads are vertical video ads that play between organic Shorts and can be skipped straight away with a swipe.
Can you skip YouTube Shorts ads?
Yes. Google says viewers can skip a Shorts ad immediately by swiping up or down, and the ad is shown again if they scroll back.
Which campaigns can run YouTube Shorts ads?
Google lists Demand Gen, Video views, Video reach with the Efficient reach goal, YouTube reservation, Performance Max, and App Install and App Re-engagement campaigns.
Why isn't my Video reach campaign showing on Shorts?
Google says Shorts ads are only available on Video reach campaigns with the Efficient reach goal, and you need to tick YouTube Shorts in the Multi-format ads section.
How long should a YouTube Shorts ad be?
Google recommends keeping Shorts ad videos between 10 and 60 seconds, with a variety of messages and trending music and sound.
