Following Adalytics’ research into TrueView and skippable ad content on YouTube, now is an opportunity to reiterate the importance of increasing transparency across the entire ad industry.

Few things are as disheartening as someone going back on a promise. A pre-arranged meeting after a long time of not seeing a friend or housemate, or your partner not doing their dishes. Whatever it may be, you can be left feeling a little hard done by. 

But when it comes to the cutthroat world of business – where contracts, piles of cash, and multinational behemoths reign supreme – the fallout tends to be a little more costly.

Cue more Big Tech controversy …

What are Google and YouTube accused of?

In short, Google and YouTube are accused of misleading brands about the impact of their ad campaigns as well as how (and where) their ads are displayed.

Adalytics claims that Google, through its Video Partners program, is placing ads in small, muted, automatically-played videos off to the side of a page’s main content, which goes against its own standards for monetization. 

Perhaps most shockingly, it is claimed that this applies to around 80% of cases they analyzed in the study. 

The company’s research, which includes “Fortune 500 brands, the US federal government, and many small businesses” in a data set compiled between 2020 and 2023, states that one out of every two ads is not even running on YouTube.

How has Google responded?

Google assures advertisers that these ads will be displayed on reputable sites, alongside the main video content, and that payment will only be required for non-skippable ads. 

And, according to the original news publisher The Wall Street Journal, a Google statement said that “many claims are inaccurate” and that they will take “any appropriate actions once the full report is shared.” 

Google’s director of global video solutions, Marvin Renaud, also released a blog post in response to the findings where he says: “Brands care deeply about where their ads are placed and so do we.”

Advertisers – do your homework!

Advertisers have the most important role to play in ensuring the success and integrity of their ad campaigns. They are the ones investing the money and they are the ones who have specific objectives in mind.

While tech giants must uphold their promises and maintain transparency, advertisers must remain proactive in safeguarding their brand reputation and investments.

Instead of relying solely on the assurances of the platforms they use, advertisers should take a hands-on approach to monitor and assess the performance of their ads.

By taking proactive steps through actions like regular audits, utilizing third-party verification, and establishing clear communication channels, advertisers can help keep their brand’s reputation intact, leading to more effective and efficient advertising campaigns overall.

The perfect trio: transparency, due diligence, and reliable partnerships

While there has been some contention online about the dramatization of certain figures mentioned in the research, there’s still a clear argument that businesses should be wary of concentrating significant budgets into domains where there’s controversy – even if they are the biggest platforms.

In fact, Dutch MEP Paul Tang has reportedly written to Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, to argue the need to reallocate its ad budgets away from Alphabet (the parent company of both Google and YouTube).

Nevertheless, in today’s ever-changing digital advertising landscape, it’s crucial for businesses to prioritize brand safety, transparency, and diligent partnerships. Without these key elements, companies risk wasting significant amounts of money.

It is vital to work alongside ad tech companies that provide complete transparency regarding the services they offer, because, as highlighted in the research, even major platforms like Google and YouTube can fall short of meeting advertisers’ expectations and standards.

To limit the potential risk, brands should look to prioritize brand-safe environments and develop relationships with other premium publishers to ensure a higher level of assurance in terms of brand safety, quality content and see better audience engagement. 

The ever-growing importance of transparency and due diligence can’t be ignored. But hey, things can only get better … right? 

 

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