What is the YouTube Masthead, and when does it fit a launch?
Part of YouTube channel planning
The short answer
The YouTube Masthead is a video ad at the top of the YouTube Home feed on computers, phones, tablets and TV screens. It is reserved in advance, never bought in the auction: CPM Masthead guarantees a fixed number of impressions, and CPH Masthead gives all eligible impressions during booked hours. Each campaign targets one country.
Key takeaways
- CPM Masthead reserves a fixed volume of impressions and can be booked in Google Ads Reservation, through Display & Video 360 instant deals or with a Google representative; CPH Masthead goes only through a representative.
- Desktop autoplays muted for up to 30 seconds, while phones and supported TVs autoplay muted for the full video, and TV screens carry no call to action button.
- Masthead targeting covers demographics, audience segments, devices and frequency, inside one country; topics and channel placements are not part of it.
- Because the Masthead sits on the Home feed rather than beside chosen videos, it belongs in a launch plan as a separate line from the channel plan.
What is the YouTube Masthead?
Definition
- YouTube Masthead
- A native, video based ad format in the YouTube Home feed, bought on a reservation basis. Google's Masthead help page (opens in a new tab) describes it as suited to reach and awareness goals and planned in advance rather than through an auction.
Google sells two versions. CPM Masthead answers how many people will see the launch over a set number of days. CPH Masthead answers whether the brand owns the top of YouTube for a set block of hours. The reservation overview (opens in a new tab) defines CPH as billing a flat rate for the hours booked, used only for Masthead campaigns sold through a Google representative.
| Question | CPM Masthead | CPH Masthead |
|---|---|---|
| What is reserved | A fixed volume of impressions over the campaign | 100 percent share of voice of eligible impressions during the reserved hours |
| How it is charged | Fixed CPM, with upcharges based on targeting; only delivered impressions are charged | A flat rate for the hours booked |
| Where it is bought | Google representative, Display & Video 360 instant deals or Google Ads Reservation | Google representative only |
| Self serve in Google Ads | Yes, once the account is allowlisted | No |
| Best answers | How many people see the launch over the flight | Whether the brand holds the Home feed for a launch window |
How is the Masthead bought?
In Google Ads, CPM Masthead campaigns need allowlisting first. Google's CPM Masthead setup page (opens in a new tab) says activation can take some time and that CPH Masthead and ads in sensitive categories still go through a Google sales representative.
Booking a CPM Masthead in Google Ads
- Open a reservation campaign. Create a new Video campaign, choose Reservation as the buying method and Masthead as the format.
- Set name, budget and dates. A start date can be chosen but not a start time, so plan a launch hour with a representative and CPH instead.
- Add people targeting. Demographics, audience segments and segment exclusions sit in the ad group's People section; devices and frequency capping sit under Additional settings.
- Build or import the ad. Import the URL from the YouTube Masthead Preview Tool or build the ad in the campaign; any later change in the Preview Tool needs the new URL imported again.
- Declare restrictions and get a quote. Mark restricted content under Ad policy restrictions, then accept the quote or hold it for 14 days.
Display & Video 360 sells the same unit through YouTube Programmatic Guaranteed instant deals (opens in a new tab), which reserve inventory without a negotiation. That page says Masthead deals always use a static agreed or market rate, holds keep inventory and price for 72 hours or longer, and an unreserved hold expires, so the next quote can differ.
Where does the Masthead appear on each device?
Review creative device by device. Google's video ad formats page (opens in a new tab) and the Masthead help page set out what each screen shows.
| Device | Autoplay | What appears | Clicks and reporting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop | Muted, up to 30 seconds, from a start point the advertiser picks | Video, headline, call to action, channel art and icon, up to two optional companion videos | Clicks to video, to the channel, to companions and optionally to the website |
| Mobile (YouTube app and m.youtube.com) | Muted for the full duration of the video | Video, headline, supporting description, external call to action; a product feed only on CPM Masthead | External call to action leads to the final URL |
| TV screens in the YouTube app | Muted for the full duration, where supported | Video at the top of the app, headline, supporting description; no call to action button | Limited to impressions, clicks to video, video viewership and clicks to the channel |
| Google TV home screen | Not stated on the pages checked | Google TV Masthead serves only on connected TV devices | Lift studies not supported for Google TV Masthead |
Google TV has its own creative rules. The Masthead format requirements (opens in a new tab) ask for video of at least 1080p at 16:9 without pixelation, and do not allow assets that depict or reference televisions, smartphones, tablets or soundbars. The same policy bars election and political assets from all Masthead ads, and on Google TV it bars online gambling, non-casino and social casino game assets, with exceptions for sports betting and for daily fantasy sports targeting Canada and the United States that meet the gambling and games policy.
Can the Masthead be targeted by audience or location?
By audience, yes, within limits. By location, at the scale of one country per campaign, with one documented exception. The Masthead help page states one country per campaign, because rates vary by market. Planners in Canada should note one exception in Display & Video 360: CPH Masthead is bought at country level except in Canada and the United Kingdom, where the page says CPH Mastheads cannot target the whole country.
| Control | Available? | Where Google says so |
|---|---|---|
| Demographics, audience segments, segment exclusions | Yes, in the ad group's People section | CPM Masthead setup page |
| Device type | Yes: all eligible devices, or chosen device types; device models are not available | CPM Masthead setup page |
| Impression frequency capping | Yes, limits how often the same user sees the ad | CPM Masthead setup page |
| Topics | Not supported for Masthead | Reservation overview |
| Country | One country per campaign; a single country or single sub geography in instant deals | Masthead help page; instant deals page |
| Ad group targeting on CPH | Not available in Display & Video 360 instant deals | Instant deals page |
A cross border launch therefore needs two campaigns, one for the United States and one for Canada, each with its own quote, currency and creative language. The instant deals page lists both countries for YouTube Masthead and for Google TV Masthead.
Why does the Masthead sit outside channel planning?
A channel plan chooses the videos an ad runs beside. The Masthead runs beside no chosen video: it sits on the Home feed, which is shaped for each signed in viewer. Topic targeting is not offered, channel placements are not part of the setup, and Google's reporting for the unit lists impressions, co-viewed impressions, clicks and video quartiles, and does not list a placement report.
Measurement rules differ too. The Masthead help page allows third party impression pixels, click redirects, viewability, reach and brand lift, but not audience composition pixels or JavaScript pixels, and says third party brand safety measurement is not supported. Remarketing tags are not accepted on impressions, though lists can be built from YouTube video views. A launch plan should list the Masthead as its own line, and keep the channel plan for the flight that follows.
When does the Masthead fit a launch plan?
| Launch condition | Masthead fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The product is available across a whole country on day one | Strong | The unit targets one country, so national availability uses all of it |
| The launch depends on one hour, such as a premiere | CPH Masthead | Google recommends CPH for guaranteed delivery in a specific hour |
| The offer exists in one city or region | Weak | Location below country is not documented for Google Ads Masthead |
| The creative needs sound to make sense | Weak until recut | Every device autoplays muted |
| The category is political or gambling | Not eligible or restricted | Masthead format requirements bar political assets and restrict gambling |
| The brief demands third party brand safety reporting | Weak | Third party brand safety measurement is not supported |
Before a Masthead quote is accepted
- The launch country, currency and language are fixed, with one campaign per country.
- The video is public or unlisted on YouTube, ideally 16:9 at 1920 by 1080 or higher.
- Channel art is final at least 2 days and the channel icon 2 to 3 days before launch, since both are pulled from the channel.
- The muted first seconds show the product and the date as on screen text.
- Restricted content is declared before the quote is requested.
- The quote status, held or accepted, and its expiry are recorded with the approver's name.
What does a Masthead launch look like for one brand?
Fictional example
A national frozen breakfast launch in the United States
An unnamed fictional frozen foods brand is launching a line of breakfast sandwiches in grocery freezers across the United States on a Monday. The agency proposes a CPM Masthead for the launch week, targeted to adults, with impression frequency capping, followed by a four week channel plan on cooking, meal prep and morning routine channels.
Production cuts a 20 second 16:9 film whose first frame shows the product box and the words in freezers Monday, readable without sound. A separate Google TV version removes a shot of a smartphone, since the Google TV requirements bar it.
The buyer holds the quote, declares no restricted content, and records the hold's expiry. The plan shows the Masthead and the channel flight as two lines. No delivery or result figures are implied.
How does PlacementGraph plan the channel flight around a Masthead launch?
Frequently asked questions
Can a Masthead promote a livestream?
Yes, in Display & Video 360. Google's instant deals page describes the Masthead as a native video or livestream ad format and says Livestream Masthead runs on YouTube only, while standard Masthead can run on YouTube, Google TV or both. Premieres have limited support, according to the Masthead help page.
Can remarketing lists be built from Masthead viewers?
Partly. The Masthead help page says remarketing tags are not accepted on impressions, but lists can be built from YouTube Audience lists and video views, and Floodlight remarketing tags are accepted only for Masthead on desktop.
Does a Masthead quote include a product feed?
Only on CPM Masthead on mobile. Google says on cross device campaigns only mobile impressions show the product feed, and a new feed can take up to 3 days to approve, so link Merchant Center and submit the feed well before the launch date.
Can a Masthead use a 360 video or promote an app install?
No. The Masthead help page says 360 videos and app install campaigns are not supported. Any standard YouTube video that is public or unlisted can be used, with 16:9 at 1920 by 1080 or higher recommended and no stated length limit.
Sources
- YouTube Masthead (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
- Create a YouTube CPM Masthead campaign (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
- About reservation: Reserved media placements on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
- About video ad formats (opens in a new tab)Google Ads Help
- Masthead format requirements (opens in a new tab)Google Advertising Policies Help
- YouTube Programmatic Guaranteed via instant deals (opens in a new tab)Display & Video 360 Help
Researched and written by PlacementGraph Research. Read how we research, source and update these pages. Corrections: diana@placementgraph.com.