Google has quietly tightened the rules for YouTube bumper ads.
Bumper ads are now officially defined as 5 to 6 seconds long — replacing the previous guidance of simply “6 seconds or shorter.”
That may sound like a small wording change, but it matters for creative teams running ultra-short video.
What changed:
• Bumper ads must now be at least 5 seconds
• They remain non-skippable
• They can appear before, during, or after another video
• Creatives shorter than 5 seconds may no longer fit the bumper ad specification
For advertisers and agencies, this is another reminder that platform specs can change in ways that directly affect production workflows and existing creative libraries.
Google’s official guidance: “About video ad formats”
Update spotted by Hana Kobzová.
