YouTube just took a major step toward merging big-screen entertainment with mobile commerce.
At its latest product update, YouTube announced an upgraded shoppable ad format specifically designed for Connected TV (CTV) viewers. These new interactive ads let users browse products directly from their TV screen—with a few smart integrations that turn passive viewers into active shoppers.
What’s new?
The standout feature: a right-hand side product feed that appears during TV ad playback. Viewers can scroll through products using their remote. If they’re interested, they can either:
Scan a QR code with their phone to view a direct product link
Press and hold a button on their remote to send the entire product list to their phone for later browsing
The experience feels like a mini storefront, embedded right into the YouTube TV ad unit.
Why this matters
CTV viewership is massive—and still growing.
People are already watching YouTube on TV while browsing on their phones. Now YouTube is bridging those behaviors into a single shopping journey.
Real talk: Does this format actually work?
Yes. We tested it.
In fact, we turned YouTube TV ads from a historically low-performing placement into our most profitable video inventory—all by embedding our own QR codes and optimizing for the TV + phone experience.
📈 Our full case study breaks down the exact changes we made, the surprising shift in performance once Google’s system recognized CTV success, and the one mobile tweak that drove a major boost in conversions.
👉 Read the full breakdown here: How We Turned YouTube TV Ads Into Our Most Profitable Channel
Final take
For direct response advertisers, this is a practical way to turn TV into a performance channel. And with YouTube handling the QR infrastructure, brands can test it fast without overhauling their entire creative workflow.
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