Monetisation & Revenue
Ad Load
Also called: ad density, number of ads
Ad load counts the interruptions. A creator sets which formats are permitted and where mid-rolls may fall, either by placing slots by hand or by handing that to YouTube. In May 2025 YouTube moved more automatic breaks towards natural pauses and added automatic slots to older videos that had only manual ones. Channels already running fully automatic placement saw no change from that.
The trade sits in plain sight. Every extra break is another chance to earn and another reason for somebody to leave, and where the balance falls depends on how long the video runs and how patient the audience is.