YouTube’s Audio Ad Push

Morning all, Lucinda Southern, Adweek media editor here, with another digital media update.

YouTube has been pushing all types of ads this week, from connected TV ads to ads running on channels that are not part of its revenue sharing program, YouTube Partner Program (and keeping the cash). Finally, it’s leaning into the surge in music listening over the last eight months, beefing up its audio ad formats and letting buyers run ads against specific genres or playlists like Latin, K-pop, Country or Hip-Hop. Scott Nover spoke to YouTube execs and buyers about the features.

What I find interesting about his piece was how long it’s taken Google to bring out audio advertising features—especially this kind of contextual channel buy—based on how many people use the platform this way. People have streamed music on YouTube long before the coronavirus put concerts on hold and artists were relegated to the virtual world.

Sticking with dominant tech platforms and their connected TV push (kind of), my colleague Andrew Blustein reports on Amazon adding more Fire TV inventory to its Ad Console, a tool advertisers use to manage their sponsored ad campaigns on Amazon. This is part of Amazon's plan to offer more OTT ad products to reach its plus 40 million monthly U.S. Fire TV users.

The CTV gold rush is not letting up. If Amazon shares its measurement chops with advertisers and makes the path to buying less convoluted, it can get closer to taking more digital ad market share from Google and Facebook. But it's Amazon, it will probably get there anyway.

And if you can, consider taking out an Adweek Pro Subscription and support our journalism.

Thanks for reading and until next time!

Beta program comes as more people stream content at home amid shutdowns.

After several Covid-related delays, superhero sequel will premiere on Dec. 25.

They expressed concerns about being forced to return to offices during the pandemic and sought full employee status.

Robert Kelly wants to show you how to stay focused and avoid distractions.