YouTube is the Google of Video
Following in MySpace’s footsteps, YouTube is a bona fide phenomenon online. Depending on whom you believe, YouTube either had 12 million (comScore) or 20 million unique users (Nielsen) in May. Regardless, it’s a big number. YouTube is the dominant, category leader.
Also (via John Battelle) Bob Lefsetz discusses YouTube and the fact that after the Saturday Night Live “Lazy Sunday” skit was posted to YouTube the ratings for the show actually improved. This NY Times (reg. req’d) piece similarly describes how an all-but-dead series may be revived after rising to enormous popularity after being posted on YouTube.
In part because of the success of YouTube, though not entirely, Google has added a range of social features to Google Video, including ratings and tagging. Loren Baker has the complete rundown.
Last week, the WSJ (sub. req’d) reported on YouTube trying to build a “lasting business” but that it hadn’t figured out a business model yet. Well here’s Lulu.tv, which is going to share fees with content producers based on traffic they generate rather than serve traditional ads before or beside the videos.
