Google begin a test of "skippable pre-rolls," which allow users to choose whether or not they want to watch ad that appears at the beginning of a YouTube video. (If they skip ad, they'll go straight to video). “For users, this format gives them more control over their experience. For advertisers, Google's working toward a solution where they pay for ads that users actually watch and engage with. And for partners, skippable ads attempt to minimize abandonment rates, helping them protect audiences they've worked hard to build. We've learned from Promoted Videos that advertisers are often willing to pay more money for an engaged opt-in view, as opposed to a forced view like an in-stream ad, so this also has potential to increase CPMs,” announced YouTube blog.