Netflix ads: helpful interruption or worst thing ever?

As Netflix continues to conquer the globe, we’ve become blissful binge-watching zombies. That short countdown at the end of each episode doesn’t give us enough time to spring into action and hit stop before the next episode. But who cares? We’re getting the most out of our subscription! Soon, that could all change.

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Netflix is testing promos for other Netflix shows that will show up in between TV show episodes

Yep, it looks like your monthly subscription isn’t enough for Netflix anymore. The company is testing ads on its platform, but it isn’t all bad. In fact, if you believe the guys in Netflix’s marketing department these ads might actually be good for you.

Netflix is testing for other Netflix shows in the breaks between episodes. According to the bigwigs behind it all, Netflix will be running all sorts of algorithmic magic to ensure that the promos you’ll get will be for shows it thinks you will actually like. (All of this is based on your viewing history.)

The money men say this helps Netflix save money by not having to advertise so much on other networks. It appears Netflix is now big enough to be able to advertise to itself in order to make money.

There are a few other things to consider about Netflix’s ads, too. First off, each ad (or” promo” as Netflix wants us to call them), will only be 30 seconds long. We’re not talking an intrusive ad break here, just a short break from your constant consumption. Also, if Netflix ads get a wider roll-out to all users in their current form, you’ll be able to skip them. Not skip after however many seconds like on some YouTube ads, skippable as soon as they start.

This all means that technically they’re not real ads, they’re optional. In fact, they sound like nothing more than a multimedia version of the “Your Netflix” list that shows on the top of the screen every time you log in, or the recommendations you see after you finish a movie or complete a TV season you’ve watched from start to finish.

At the end of the day, whether these Netflix ads will make you angry or not is up to you. You’ll have the power to skip them if you wish so you’ll only be able to get angry about having to bother to hit skip. The other way of looking at it is that it might give you more of a chance to snap yourself out of the trance-like stupor “Stranger Things”, “Maniac”, or whatever it is you watch on Netflix always manages to ease you into. Having to hit skip might just be what you need to hit stop and then head out into the real world. We’ll just have to wait and see.