Google 更新 Target frequency 规则，允许混用不可跳过广告与 Shorts 和信息流广告

Google has revised its help page on Target frequency campaigns, which says advertisers may now use non-skippable in-stream ads with Shorts and in-feed ads within the same campaign.

On this page, advertisers are allowed to “mix any combination of skippable in-stream, non-skippable in-stream (up to 20s), bumper, In-feed, and Shorts ads” in a campaign.

There is no date referenced on the page. However, the capture by the Internet Archive from Oct. 14 still shows the earlier rule: “Currently, non-skippable ads can’t be combined with In-feed or Shorts ads in Target Frequency campaigns.” Prior to the update, advertisers who were using the Target frequency option had to choose whether to use non-skippable ads or the Shorts and in-feed ad placements options.

Campaigns limited to in-stream formats can’t add in-feed or Shorts, which Google’s page warns “may result in less reach or a higher cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM)” for those campaigns.

What Changed On The Help Page

In the Oct. 14 version of the Target frequency page, selecting non-skippable ads would “automatically disable In-feed and Shorts ads” in the campaign. The current setup steps say to select the Non-skippable in-stream checkbox to include those ads “alongside your selected formats” in a multi-format campaign.

The page’s “up to 20s” label for non-skippable ads wasn’t in the Oct. 14 version. On Google’s Video reach campaigns page, the recommended non-skippable length for Target frequency went from 7 to 15 seconds in the Oct. 14 capture to 7 to 20 seconds now. That page’s Target frequency table now also lists in-feed and Shorts, and recommends a vertical video of 6 to 60 seconds next to horizontal 15- and 6-second videos.

The current page lists a single frequency range of 2 to 7 per week or 4 to 12 per month. The Oct. 14 capture gave that range for multi-format campaigns and 2 to 4 per week (4 to 8 per month) for in-stream-only campaigns. When I covered Target frequency’s global launch in 2022, Google said advertisers could pick a goal of up to four per week.

Limits On The New Mix

The same Target frequency campaign may use both non-skippable video ads and either Shorts ads or in-feed ads; however, it will need to be limited to auction buying, as the help page makes reserve buying available on “non-mixed formats” only.

While legacy campaigns which are in-stream-only cannot change from one ad format type to another once they are created (a rule also on the page before the update), multi-format campaigns do allow changing the ad format types in campaign settings. At present (Nov. 12), the page does not provide information about what happens when adding non-skippable ads to a multi-format campaign created before the update to see if you can still include in-feed and Shorts ads without dropping them.

The Target frequency campaign help page FAQ also explains that an existing campaign cannot be converted into a Target frequency campaign and instructs the advertiser to “end your current campaign and set up a new Target frequency campaign” in its place.

Where Google’s Help Pages Differ

At the time I looked at the English Target frequency page on Nov. 12, it showed the new mixing rule. However, both the UK English and Australian English versions of the Target frequency page were stating you cannot mix in-feed or Shorts ad placements and non-skippable video ad placements. The UK English version of the setup guide continues to list a separate weekly range of 2 to 4 for in-stream formats.

In addition, Display & Video 360’s own Target frequency help page which provides assistance for those purchasing using this channel shows that non-skippable video ads are available “up to 15 seconds” only when purchased as an in-stream-only format.

Google Ads Help’s New features & announcements section had no announcement regarding the update as of Nov. 12. The last announcement published there was dated May 20.

Why This Matters

Per Google’s updated help page, brands buying Target frequency at auction no longer have to choose between non-skippable ads and Shorts or in-feed reach.

Prior to developing a campaign for Target frequency using auctions, you should create a new Target frequency campaign, open the Ad formats drop-down within that campaign and verify if selecting Non-skippable in-stream leaves both in-feed and Shorts selected within your account.

The Video reach page says that horizontal video can serve on Shorts (when there is no vertical video in the ad group) and eligible horizontal videos may be served vertically when video enhancements are turned on.

Google suggests creating vertical video content for Shorts and horizontal video content for feed ads and non-skippable ads.

Looking Ahead

Watch for the UK and Australian versions of the Target frequency page to match the English page, and for any change to Display & Video 360’s page. Also watch the English page for a note on adding non-skippable ads to campaigns created before the update.

Featured Image: Emre Akkoyun/Shutterstock