Adsense Video Units are the newest addition to Google’s Adsense lineup. Video Units are now available to web site publishers in the US, along with Adsense text and display ads, Adsense referal ads, Adsense search, and Adsense mobile ads.
The Adsense Video Unit is an ad supported video player that you can embed on you website or blog. Just like Adsense text and display ads, Google will choose what ads to display based on the content of your web page.
Example Image: Google Adsense Video Unit
You can see a working version of the Google Adsense Video Unit on the Google Adsense Blog
Right now video is only available from a handful of selected providers. When you are setting up your player you can choose from automated content based on specific keywords, or you can select a specific provider. Right now, you can’t just select a single video and click on the embed link. This will make it pretty difficult for web site publishers and bloggers to find relevant video content for their site.
The player is available in three sizes and several colors. As you can see from the example image, the player displays two ads at once; a banner ad above the video, and a text ad that sits over the bottom section of the video until you close it. And if you are lucky enough to be watching a youTube video that contains a youTube overlay ad, you may be hit with three ads in one sitting.
This seems a little excessive. Going from no ads, to two or three ads virtually overnight is going to rub many people the wrong way. Personally I wish they would just stick with the banner ad above the video and revert to a slimmer video player. Or even better yet, make the much more elegant and less obtrusive youTube overlay ads part of the Adsense network and abandon the “video unit” all together.
This is how Google describes its video units:
Video Units
Enhance your site with high quality, relevant video content from select YouTube partners, and earn extra revenue along the way.
Relevant, Premium Content
Deliver high quality video content to your site. Choose categories, individual YouTube partners, or have Google target your site’s content.
Targeted, Non-Intrusive Ads
Earn revenue from relevant, user-friendly ads targeted to your site and to the videos being played.
Enhanced User Experience
Attract and retain users with highly relevant, frequently refreshed video from popular content providers.
Here is a video that google released on how to set up the Adsense Video Units.
How to get started with video units
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Google is building an advertising empire. Ive seen print, radio, internet, video ads, what is next? I hope they start doing those messages that trail behind planes.
