YouTube Shorts ads built for the vertical feed
Shorts is YouTube's vertical video feed, and your ad shows up between the Shorts people are swiping through. This guide covers which campaigns run YouTube Shorts ads, what format Google wants, how the call to action button works and how to measure results. If you'd rather hand off the videos, we make motion graphics ads ready in 24 business hours, starting with a 3 video trial for $97.
Which Google Ads campaigns serve Shorts ads
There's no campaign type called "Shorts." According to Google Ads Help, Shorts ads can run in these campaign types:
| Campaign type | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Demand Gen | Driving engagement and action across YouTube (Shorts included), Discover, Gmail and Google video partners |
| Performance Max | Driving conversions across all of Google's channels |
| App install and app engagement | Getting installs or bringing existing users back into your app |
| Video views | Driving views for the consideration stage |
| Video reach (Efficient reach) | Building brand or product awareness with an eye on ROI |
| YouTube reservation | Reserved buys through YouTube Select Shorts, handled by a Google rep |
Google's advice is to start from your marketing goal. In Demand Gen, creative preferences let you pin a video to the Shorts placement.
Format: 9:16 vertical, hosted on YouTube
The biggest practical difference from Meta or TikTok is that you don't upload the file straight into an ads dashboard. Google requires the video to be uploaded to YouTube, public or unlisted, and you pick it from your Google Ads account.
- 9:16 vertical: Google says it's the best fit for Shorts.
- Horizontal or square: still accepted, but on Shorts they serve with blurred bars above and below, and only on some surfaces.
- Playback cap: your ad can be longer, but only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed, and Google recommends keeping it under 60 seconds.
For other platforms, see our video ad specs guide.
What the ad looks like: CTA, channel and safe zone
A Shorts ad uses your YouTube channel name, and viewers can skip it instantly by swiping up or down.
- CTA button: in Demand Gen, Performance Max and App campaigns it shows up 3 seconds in. In Video views and Video reach campaigns, it shows up at 10 seconds. Google suggests a headline of up to 40 characters and a description of up to 90.
- Interface buttons: on mobile, the Like, Comment and Share buttons sit on top of your video. Keep text away from the edges and check the preview before you launch.
- Comments and likes: comments on an eligible ad show up on your original Short, and likes add to that video's count. You can turn the comment button off.
Can you reuse your Reels or TikTok ad?
One 9:16 master works as the base for all three platforms, but check three things before you reuse it:
- Other apps' watermarks and stickers: a video downloaded with the TikTok logo or Instagram stickers looks out of place on YouTube. Use the clean export.
- Music: Google suggests music, voiceover or both. For commercial use you need the rights to the track or a song from the YouTube Audio Library; otherwise the video can get hit with a copyright claim. Our videos use licensed music.
- Pacing and text: Google recommends ads that blend in with the organic feed and suggests text overlays. What works on Reels usually works here, but your call to action should make sense with when the button appears.
To compare platforms, check our TikTok video ads and Instagram Reels ad specs guides.
How to measure Shorts ads
What you can see depends on the campaign type, and that catches a lot of advertisers off guard:
- Performance Max and App campaigns: Google doesn't break out Shorts. The numbers are rolled into the YouTube network segment.
- Video reach: if you also opted into other formats, segment by ad format to isolate Shorts. Under Assets, Videos, Analytics you can see Shorts watch time second by second.
- Engaged views: Google counts one when someone watches 5 seconds or taps the CTA, Like, Comment or Share.
Likes and comments show up in your YouTube channel metrics, not in Google Ads. Compare conversions and cost per result, and check Google Ads Help for metric details.
What you get and what we need
All we need is an online brief: product, offer, audience and, if you have them, your logo, photos or screenshots. We write the script, animate it and add licensed music. You get vertical 9:16 MP4s through a download link, in English or Spanish, ready to upload to your YouTube channel and use in Google Ads. No calls, and we never ask for access to your channel or your Google Ads account.
If we miss the 24 business hour window, you get an extra video free, and if a video doesn't match your brief, we redo it. We don't promise sales: results also depend on your offer, your audience and your budget. You can start with the 3 video trial.
Ad ideas to start with
Stop scrolling: this saves you an hour a day
Illustrative idea for an app or SaaS: animated vertical screens with the main benefit in big text from frame one.
3 mistakes people make buying their next one
Illustrative idea for ecommerce: each mistake gets its own screen, the product is the fix, and the offer is on screen before the button shows up.
Before and after, no filters
Illustrative idea: a simple side by side, with the text kept clear of the Like and Comment buttons.
Saw this in another Short? Here's how it works
Illustrative idea in a native Shorts style: fast pacing, voiceover or music, and the call to action at the end.
Illustrative examples of concepts we produce. You choose the result you want and we write the script.
How it works
Pay online
Pick the trial or a plan. No calls, no meetings.
Tell us the result
What you sell, to whom and what you want to achieve. Colors, logo and a reference if you have one.
Get them in 24 business hours
Script, animation and music, ready to upload to Meta or TikTok.
Pricing in USD
Delivered in 24 business hours or you get a free extra video. If a video doesn't match your brief, we redo it at no cost.
Video ads by industry
Video ads for ecommerce
Motion graphics video ads for online stores: script, animation and music, ready for Meta and TikTok Ads in 24 business hours. Try 3 videos for $97.
Video ads for SaaS and apps
Motion graphics video ads for software and apps: your UI animated, script and music, ready for Meta and TikTok Ads in 24 business hours. Try 3 ads for $97.
Video ads for coaches and online courses
Motion graphics video ads for coaches, online courses and memberships, ready for Meta and TikTok Ads in 24 business hours. Try 3 ads for $97.
FAQ
Which campaigns can run ads on YouTube Shorts?
Per Google Ads Help: Demand Gen, Performance Max, App campaigns, Video views, Video reach with the Efficient reach goal, and reservation buys through YouTube Select Shorts.
What format should a YouTube Shorts ad be?
9:16 vertical, uploaded to YouTube as public or unlisted. Horizontal and square videos are accepted but show with blurred bars on Shorts. Only the first 60 seconds play in the feed.
Can I use the same ad I made for Reels or TikTok?
Yes, as long as it's 9:16, has no other app's watermark and the music is licensed for commercial use. Make sure no text sits under the interface buttons.
How do I know if my Shorts ads are working?
It depends on the campaign. Performance Max and App campaigns report Shorts together with the rest of YouTube. In Video reach campaigns you can segment by ad format. Judge results on conversions and cost per result.
Do you need access to my YouTube channel or Google Ads account?
No. You buy online, fill out the brief and get your MP4 files through a download link. You or your agency upload them to YouTube and use them in Google Ads.
How much does it cost to have my YouTube Shorts ads made?
The 3 video trial is a one-time $97 per business. Monthly plans run from $297 for 10 videos to $797 for 40, and Agency gets you 100 videos for $1,797. 1:1 and 4:5 versions are a $19 add-on.
Try it with 3 ads
Pay $97 once, tell us what you want to achieve and get 3 ads ready to run in 24 business hours.