Google Video Helps YouTube Increase Marketshare by 18% (N)

Last Thursday, I reported that Google Video would soon convert to a search-engine only of video and let YouTube take care of the user generated content. Google Video is already now letting you search for videos and YouTube will appear.

Shortly after the addition of YouTube results the numbers for YouTube spiked. Prior to the integration, YouTube received .54% of all U.S. Internet visits and after the integration they received .64% of all U.S. internet visits. This represents a growth of 18.5% for one week. On the first day of the integration Google Video became responsible for 8.68% of all YouTube traffic compared to .73% prior to the integration. In comparison, MySpace is responsible for 17.54% of YouTube's traffic.



Thanks to Hitwise for all the info.

YouTube to add Ads before Videos (N)

Coming off the heels of the announcement that YouTube will soon be sharing ad revenues with producers, I have learned of some less exciting news. It turns out that past all the big sharing ad revenue news there is a dark, dark secret. YouTube has confirmed that they will start placing ads before videos. The length of the ads has not been determined as of yet. However, this statement was given to the BBC, "Mr Hurley said a clip of three seconds length was one of the options, although the details had not been worked out yet."

One of the reasons why I think YouTube is so successful is that prior to them the big online video guys were Yahoo and MSN. I used to hate watching videos on those sites because they would always have ads right before the video. This bugged the hell out of me as I'm sure it did everyone else. Then YouTube came along and shook the video world.

I'm all for providing revenue to producers and I think it is a great idea. However, I think that placing ads is an extremely idiotic system and it degrades the YouTube experience. The great thing about online video right now is that there is instant gratification. Someone can send you a link to a video and you can instantly watch it. I don't want to wait 30 seconds before I see a video. I don't even want to wait 3.

YouTube please grow some brains and learn that NO ONE wants ads before videos. I wouldn't mind an ad at the end of the video like Revver does and I hope that YouTube takes this route instead of before the video. I think that YouTube should just stick with the banner and contextual ads that they have going and stop there. Don't let this ad thing get out of hand, YouTube.

If this is the price of payment for giving money to producers then I don't want even that. Don't diminish the quality of videos by sticking ads before them, YouTube. Stick with your current model and DON'T add ads before the videos. Keep YouTube great and not some big commercialized giant.

YouTube to Give Money to Producers (N)

I've always hoped that YouTube would pay producers some of the money that it makes. My reasoning is that making videos takes a lot of time, effort, and money. Chad Hurley said today that YouTube would eventually begin to pay video creators. Jeff Jarvis was able to catch the statement on video and naturally he posted it on YouTube.



I can't wait to see this happen for real so stay tuned to the VideoWrap for more details as soon as I get them.

Google Video to be Search Only, YouTube to Carry Content (N)

Google has decided to make its Google Video service a search-only site while YouTube will be primary hosters of content. After Google announced its acquisition of YouTube in November, 2006 everyone wondered what would happen to Google Video, a clear competitor to YouTube. Google has made its play deciding that YouTube will be the hosters of content while Google Video will be a search engine of videos including links to YouTube.

My question is will there be other videos on Google Video besides just YouTube? Will there be support for Metacafe, Yahoo Video (doubtful), Revver, and Break? YouTube has this annoying policy of taking down videos such as the Sacha Baron Cohen Golden Globe Speech so I could see a search engine of all the video sites being extremely useful whenever I need to replace a YouTube-taken down video. YouTube is supposed to be completely independent of Google so I'm wondering if Google will slant Google Video results towards YouTube or not.

Another question I'm having about this project is why would I go to Google Video to find a video when I can use YouTube's built-in search feature? What will Google Video offer me over YouTube?