Snapchat introduces unskippable six-second ads

Snapchat creator Snap has started testing unskippable six-second ads.

The social network began the experiment on Monday, with promos for Deadpool 2 and the Samsung Galaxy S9.

For the moment, Snapchat is only displaying unskippable ads on its Shows platform, which is where users can view professionally made content from brands like Disney.

When a user taps on the screen to attempt to skip one of the new six-second ads, they’re instead shown a counter at the top of the screen that reveals how many seconds more before the ad is complete.

Previously, all of Snapchat in-app ads were skippable by users. However, facing pressure from advertisers, Snap confirmed in April that it would start testing unskippable ads. According to AdAge, average ad viewing time on Snapchat is approximately two seconds. “They can’t build a viable ad-supported platform without changing,” said one digital agency exec interviewed by the publication.

Source: AdAge