Google Allows Mixed Shorts, In-Feed And Non-Skippable Ads

By Grace Kim

Google’s English-language Target frequency help page now allows advertisers to combine non-skippable in-stream ads of up to 20 seconds with Shorts and in-feed ads in one auction campaign. The page carries no change date, so Google documents the rule without defining a rollout schedule.

The updated page says advertisers may “mix any combination of skippable in-stream, non-skippable in-stream (up to 20s), bumper, In-feed, and Shorts ads” within a campaign. That language confirms what Google’s English guidance permits, not when every region or buying path will act identically.

What changed in Google’s documentation?

An Internet Archive capture from Oct. 14 still showed the old restriction: non-skippable ads could not be combined with in-feed or Shorts ads in Target frequency campaigns. The old setup instructions also said selecting non-skippable ads automatically disabled those two placements, forcing advertisers to choose between non-skippable ads or Shorts and in-feed placements.

The “up to 20s” label is new. On Google’s Video reach page, the recommended non-skippable length for Target frequency changed from 7–15 seconds in the Oct. 14 capture to 7–20 seconds now. Its updated table lists in-feed and Shorts and recommends vertical video lasting 6–60 seconds alongside horizontal 15- and 6-second videos.

Google now lists one frequency range for these campaigns: 2–7 impressions per week or 4–12 per month. The Oct. 14 version gave that range to multi-format campaigns, while in-stream-only campaigns could run 2–4 per week or 4–8 per month. At the global launch in 2022, Google said advertisers could pick a goal of up to four per week.

What does this change for advertisers?

For brands buying Target frequency through auctions, Google’s updated page says they no longer have to choose between non-skippable ads and Shorts or in-feed reach. That removes a format-level choice, but Google provides no audience-size, budget or CPM benchmark for the mix.

The documentation warns that staying with in-stream-only campaigns may mean less reach or a higher cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM). The new combination remains restricted to auction buying, and Google says reserve buying is available only for non-mixed formats.

The option applies to new campaign construction, not a simple conversion. Google’s FAQ says an existing campaign cannot become a Target frequency campaign; advertisers must “end your current campaign and set up a new Target frequency campaign.” Before launch, advertisers should open the Ad formats drop-down and verify that selecting Non-skippable in-stream leaves In-feed and Shorts selected.

Where Google’s guidance still conflicts

As of Nov. 12, the English page showed the new mixing rule, but the UK English and Australian English pages still said advertisers could not combine in-feed or Shorts placements with non-skippable video placements. The UK setup guide also continued to list a separate weekly range of 2–4 for in-stream formats.

Display & Video 360’s Target frequency help page, which supports advertisers buying through that channel, still described non-skippable video ads as available only in an in-stream-only format and capped them at 15 seconds. Google Ads Help’s New features & announcements section had no notice about the update as of Nov. 12; its most recent post was dated May 20.

The lack of a dated notice limits what can be confirmed: the English page documents the mix, but not a synchronized rollout across regional pages and buying channels. It would be premature to treat the edit as a global product announcement. Still, the English page is official, and its setup steps now allow the non-skippable checkbox to include those ads with formats already selected in a multi-format campaign.

Existing-campaign rules remain unsettled

Legacy in-stream-only campaigns still cannot change from one ad format type to another after creation, a rule Google documented before the update. Multi-format campaigns can change ad format types in campaign settings.

As of Nov. 12, though, the page did not explain what happens when advertisers add non-skippable ads to a multi-format campaign created before the update. It also did not say whether in-feed and Shorts remain available in that situation.

Creative guidance still points to format-specific assets

The Video reach page says horizontal video can serve on Shorts when an ad group contains no vertical video. It also says eligible horizontal videos may be served vertically when video enhancements are turned on. Google still suggests creating vertical video content for Shorts and horizontal video content for in-feed and non-skippable ads.

Watch the UK and Australian pages for parity with English, the Display & Video 360 guide for mixed-format language, and the English page for instructions covering pre-update campaigns. Until those gaps close, advertisers can verify a new auction campaign’s format settings, but they should not assume every region, buying type or legacy campaign supports the mix.