Can YouTubers control which ads are displayed on their videos?

Yes, YouTubers have some control over which ads are displayed on their videos, although the level of control varies depending on factors such as the creator's participation in the YouTube Partner Program, ad targeting options, and YouTube's ad policies. Here's how YouTubers can influence the types of ads shown on their videos:

1. **Ad Categories:** Within YouTube's ad settings, creators can choose to enable or disable specific ad categories for their videos. These categories include topics such as sensitive content, alcohol, gambling, politics, and more. By selecting preferred ad categories and excluding sensitive ones, creators can have some control over the types of ads displayed to their audience.

2. **Ad Formats:** Creators can choose which types of ad formats to enable on their videos, including pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll, overlay, and display ads. While creators can't control the specific ads that appear within each format, they can decide where and how frequently ads are displayed during their videos.

3. **AdSense Advertiser URLs:** Creators can block specific advertisers or URLs from displaying ads on their videos by adding them to a blocklist in their AdSense account settings. This allows creators to prevent ads from certain advertisers or websites that they deem inappropriate or irrelevant for their audience.

4. **Content and Targeting Relevance:** YouTube's ad targeting algorithms aim to match ads with relevant content and audiences. Creators can optimize their video titles, descriptions, tags, and metadata to signal the type of content to advertisers and improve ad targeting. Additionally, targeting specific audience demographics and interests can influence the types of ads shown on their videos.

While YouTubers have some control over ad settings and targeting options, it's important to note that YouTube's ad inventory is primarily determined by advertisers' bidding strategies, ad campaign settings, and audience targeting parameters. Creators may not have direct control over which specific ads are displayed on their videos, but they can influence the overall ad experience for their audience by selecting ad categories, formats, and targeting options that align with their content and audience preferences.