YouTube has announced some expanded Shorts ad options for your last-minute holiday push, including comments on Shorts ads, enabling creators to link to a brand’s website within branded content, expanded Shorts ad placement options, and more.

First off, YouTube will now enable comments on Shorts ads “to give your brand more ways to interact with audiences and match the experience of organic Shorts.”

That’ll provide another engagement option with Shorts promotions, which could help to enhance interest, and as YouTube notes, will also provide more opportunities for brands to engage with ad viewers.

YouTube says that comments will only be available on Shorts ads if the video channel is linked to a Google Ads account or a 360 Space account. But if you meet these requirements, it could be another way to spark engagement with your Shorts promotions.

Though this is likely a bigger update.

YouTube will also now enable Shorts creators to link to your brand’s website within their branded Shorts, providing a more direct link between the promotion and your offerings.

Originally announced at its “MadeOn” event back in September, the option will give brands more opportunity to drive shopping activity from their partner promotions.

As per YouTube:

“This will make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products, while giving creators a powerful way to drive results for brand partners. Creators can now show advertisers exactly how their Shorts drive direct traffic and conversions, with data that goes beyond traditional metrics like views and likes.”

YouTube is now rolling this out more broadly, providing another option for your Shorts promotions.

Finally, YouTube is also launching Shorts ads for mobile web, expanding the possible ad space for your campaigns. That will also, by extension, mean that Shorts ads will be viewable on TV sets as well, which has become a key viewing surface for Shorts content.

These are some valuable updates, which are not new, as such (as YouTube had already announced them previously), but are now becoming more widely available.

And Shorts ads are worth considering. YouTube says that, according to research conducted by Kantar, YouTube Creator Ads on Shorts increase purchase intent by 8.8%, driving 2.9x more consumer intent to spend versus competition.

In addition to these updates, YouTube has also shared a range of Shorts ads creation tips, including:

• Start with clear marketing goals: You can tailor your campaign to specific objectives, such as increasing app installs, boosting brand awareness, maximizing views, or attracting interested customers. Shorts videos can expand the reach of your programmatic mix campaigns through dedicated Shorts purchase options.
• Using vertical video content: Vertical videos with a 9:16 aspect ratio are best suited for Shorts and perform better than horizontal content. While horizontal and square content is also available, vertical videos are prioritized in Shorts ads within branded campaigns. If you are using horizontal display materials, they will be displayed with blurred top and bottom parts in the Shorts vertical video experience.
• Keep videos short and engaging: While videos can be up to 3 minutes long, only the first 60 seconds play in the Shorts feed. We recommend adding video ads shorter than 60 seconds to align with user behavior on the Shorts feed.
• Make your ads look natural and social media-friendly: blend your ad design seamlessly with the surrounding content, avoiding any paid promotion. Use audio (music, voiceover, or both) in your Shorts ads; this has been shown to increase conversions by over 20%. We also recommend using text overlays.
• Use content from creators: If possible, collaborate with content creators and use original content in your ads. You can promote free Shorts content by linking to videos

There’s a heap more tips, which could provide some valuable guidance for your Shorts approach.