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YouTube Bumper Ad Character Limits
Bumper ads run 6 seconds, non-skippable. Headline space is tight — only ~30 visible characters in the companion overlay.
Bumper Ads are YouTube's 6-second non-skippable format, optimized for reach and brand recall rather than direct-response click-through. The format has the tightest text budget on YouTube: a single headline at 90 characters max (about 30 visible on the bottom-overlay strip) and no separate description field. The 6-second runtime is hard — the platform cuts off frame-accurately at 6.0s.
The strategic implication is simple: Bumper ads are not for narrative or argument. They are for one image, one moment, one logo. Plan the headline as a tagline, not a value prop. "Now in stores" beats "Discover the all-new product line that solves your category problem." Brand recall studies consistently show the 30-character window is sufficient when the visual does the heavy lifting.
6 seconds. 30 visible chars.
brand.com
Up next: organic video
Verified 2026 limits
| Field | Hard max | Visible before truncate | Warn at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headline | 90 | 30 | 25 |
Source: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6233188 · Last verified 2026-04-15.
Reach math
YouTube's reach planner consistently suggests Bumper ads as the highest-frequency-per-dollar format. Plan a 4-week Bumper flight as the recall reinforcement layer behind a longer-form Skippable In-Stream creative.
FAQ
- Are Bumper Ads skippable?
- No. Bumpers are 6-second non-skippable. The skip button never appears.
- How is a Bumper Ad billed?
- CPM billing — cost per thousand impressions. There is no view-completion threshold because the format is non-skippable.
- Can I run a Bumper Ad as a 7-second creative?
- No. The platform validator hard-rejects anything past 6.0 seconds.