YouTube has become an amazing powerhouse of content. The site officially launched in December of 2005 (Check out its first video here) and as of today, YouTube has:
- 490 Million unique visitors monthly
- 35 hours of video uploaded every minute
This isn’t a fad that’s going away quickly and there are a number of successful business models leveraging YouTube to validate that.
Another aspect about YouTube I’m finding particularly interesting is how quickly it’s become the “New Hollywood.” YouTube “personalities” are popping up faster than uber sized Wal-Marts and are commanding top dollar for their work. Don’t believe me? Check out this list of the 25 Highest Earning YouTube Stars courtesy of Celebrity Networth.
The production and quality put into some of these online series is comparable to anything you find coming out of a major studio or network. With content as varied as any television network, you’ll be able to find some really interesting content such as Video Game High School (Action/Comedy) or My Drunk Kitchen (Cooking), The Philip DeFranco Show (News/Pop culture), and something I don’t know much about yet, but the trailer for it had me in tears laughing, #hotmessmoves. And by the time you read this, their first episode #daddyissues, is already live.
Also taking a page out of the Hollywood playbook, are talent management firms, like Collective Digital Studio. One of their objectives is to cultivate and develop new media in digital culture allowing them to develop a network of content sites like some of those I mentioned above and countless others.
Taking new media one-step further are events like VidCon – the San Diego Comic Con for the YouTube generation with panels, autograph sessions and exhibits.
The YouTube generation is here to stay, that much is sure. At some point, older, more established companies such as ours will find a way to capitalize on this emerging market and begin working this next generation of content cultivators. Given the nature of our business and our focus on creativity, I have no doubt that there are some interesting stories to tell on how some of these shows came to be.
I guess I should start having my people call their people.
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