Google has reportedly violated its own standards for placing video ads on websites, according to research from ad analytics firm Adalytics. The company accused Google of placing ads in low-quality, automatically-played videos and on sites not meeting Google's criteria, among other violations. Adalytics analysed campaigns from over 1,100 brands, resulting in billions of ad impressions from 2020 to 2023.
Google, denying these claims, stated that it has strict policies for its Google Video Partners programme and will take appropriate action once the full report is shared with them. Despite this, several ad buyers have demanded refunds due to the potential breach of trust.
Ad placements for major brands, government agencies and The Wall Street Journal were allegedly not in line with Google's promised standards. Furthermore, Adalytics' research found over half of the budget spent on ad bundles went to non-YouTube properties. This research emphasises the lack of transparency in the digital ad market, raising questions about Google's site vetting process.