Google violating its video-ad promises, research suggests
Sean Gallup
Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is violating its own standards most of the time when it comes to placing video ads on other websites, according to new research.
The tech giant runs ads on the YouTube site and app, but also places video ads on third-party sites through its Google Video Partners program -- for a premium that ensures key attributes for advertisers, the WSJ notes: The ads run on high-quality sites, before main video content, with audio on, and payment only charged for ads that weren't skipped.
But Google is violating those standards some 80% of the time, research firm Adalytics told the WSJ after studying campaigns from more than 1,100 brands (including Johnson & Johnson, American Express, Samsung, Sephora, Macy's, Disney+ and The Wall Street Journal) that garnered billions of impressions from 2020-2023.
Google took issue with the research, telling the paper that the report makes "many claims that are inaccurate and doesn't reflect how we keep advertisers safe."
The research could have heavy impact, as YouTube accounts for 8.3% of U.S. digital video ad spending, according to the report, and advertisers often buy such ad placements on third-party sites in bundles with ads to run on YouTube.
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