YouTube has become the world's online video player. Following numerous attempts from other platforms, YouTube emerged as front runner - then gained the critical mass to deliver video to the world. Google's acquisition boosted the platform's audience reach, and rolling the results into Google Search accelerated discoverability. Google also gave YouTube all the brilliance of Google Search to ensure content would be more effectively discovered.

With video moving to the mainstream in digital comms strategies for consumer brands and business services as well as online media, YouTube needs high consideration in every firm's digital strategy.

In this special edition we've drawn together research, news and background to highlight the growth, evolution and key issues. Full stories from our team are at the end of the clicks, and this summary packages them into one bite-sized email you can share with colleagues.

Let us know what you find useful - and what you'd like us to cover in future special editions on other topics.

Best from all here at Digital


Danny Meadows-Klue
Founder and Chief Executive
Digital Strategy Consulting

Top 10 online video content sites: US
Google users viewed on average 94 videos each during the month of January 2010

Top 10 online video content sites: US
Google attracted 136.5 million unique viewers during the month of January 2010

YouTube recreates TV experience with 'Leanback' feature
09 July 2010 - YouTube has launched Leanback, a new service aimed at the living room offering full screen, HD videos optimised for big screen TV viewing. Still in public beta, Leanback automatically starts playing content feeds based on a user's preferences, and accesses social networking for users plugged in via Facebook. Keep reading...

YouTube wins Viacom copyright case
24 June 2010 - In a landmark ruling, a judge has rejected a $1bn lawsuit brought by Viacom accusing Google of allowing copyrighted material on its YouTube service without permission. The US movie and television giant sued Google and YouTube for a billion dollars in March 2007, arguing that they condoned pirated video clips at the website to boost its popularity. Keep reading...

YouTube 'gets more viewers than all US TV networks combined'
17 May 2010 - Popular video sharing website YouTube is celebrating its fifth year this month and has another reason to celebrate: it generates two billion hits nearly every day. The 2 billion views of the site, which sports the slogan "Broadcast Yourself", is more than the combined total number of viewers of the US major television networks. Keep reading...

YouTube tests online video rental market
21 January 2010 - YouTube is launching a video rental service, initially featuring five movies shown at this year's Sundance Festival, with plans to expand later in the year. The first five films for rent are "The Cove," "Bass Ackwards," "One Too Many Mornings," "Homewrecker" and "Children of Invention." The service will go live on 22 January and will only be available in the US. Keep reading...
21/01/2010

YouTube seeks sponsor for first live sports coverage
20 January 2010 - YouTube is to begin streaming live cricket from India's premier league, seeking sponsors in the process. The move marks the video sharing site's first foray into live sport streaming, and is the result of a partnership between Google and Cricket's IPL (India Premier League). Keep reading...

YouTube debuts own short URL service
01 January 2010 - YouTube has launched a new URL shortening service, putting the video sharing platform in direct competition with market leaders bit.ly and TinyURL. In a blog posting, Google engineering manager Vijay Karunamurthy announced youtu.be as a shortener for all YouTube video links, and nothing but YouTube links. Keep reading...