Official Blog
Broadcast Yourself
YouTube Live with Kevin Durant and host sWooZie
Monday, August 21, 2017
This Tuesday, August 22, 2017, NBA Champion and Finals MVP Kevin Durant will take over The YouTube Space LA.
Hosted by
sWooZie
, Durant will be interviewed by fan favorite YouTube stars
What’s Inside
,
Hot Ones
, and
Ryan ToysReview
for a special
VR180 livestream
. The event will be broadcast live exclusively on his
YouTube channel
starting at 3 p.m. PT.
The
VR180 livestream
can be viewed on desktop and mobile devices in HD, or fans can enjoy an immersive VR experience with Cardboard, Daydream View, and PSVR.
During the livestream, Durant will meet up with Lincoln and Dan of
What’s Inside
to look inside the new
Nike KD10
. They will be joined by Nike Basketball footwear designer Leo Chang to speak more about the design and evolution of the KD signature line. He will also have fun with Ryan of
Ryan ToysReview
before meeting Sean Evans for a
Hot Ones
challenge.
“My experience on YouTube has been incredible and so has the feedback I’ve received from fans all around the world. Being able to give people an inside look at my life on and off the court, as well as push the envelope with never-before-done content is very important to me and the vision for my channel," said Durant. “As I continue to step up the level of content I deliver, and as I keep building my creative network the sky's the limit for what my team and YouTube can do together. The YouTube Live experience is a perfect example of that evolution and I look forward to having some fun as well during this livestream.”
Launched in April 2017, Durant’s channel has gained over 350,000 subscribers and nearly 11 million views fueled by video hits from
Still KD: Through the Noise
to an
epic slow motion dunk
in collaboration with YouTube sensations
The Slow Mo Guys
.
Don’t forget to
subscribe
to get notified when the action starts! See you on the livestream.
Five observations from my time at YouTube
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Earlier this year, I was asked by Google (because they know I am pre "Sucker M.C.") to work on a
Doodle
celebrating the 44th anniversary of the music that changed my life. The birth of hip-hop was a fusion of expression and technical innovation that forever changed our culture and Google wanted to celebrate the moment when it all came together.
I had one condition on participating: that the project be authentic and not some tech company’s interpretation of a cultural revolution. They couldn't agree more and the collaboration led to an amazing interactive experience that used technology and Google’s reach to celebrate the birth of hip-hop. It showed me that Google and YouTube know how to listen to feedback (in this case, mine), and are willing to work hard to get things right.
I joined Google and YouTube because I saw a great opportunity to bring tech and music together and do right by artists, the industry and fans. Eight months in, I’m more optimistic than ever that YouTube can do that, but the truth is there’s still a disconnect between YouTube and the rest of the industry.
So, how did YouTube get here? What explains the current state of YouTube’s relationship with the industry? I think there are five factors that explain the current situation.
Late to the party.
I get why some in the music industry would be skeptical of their relationship with YouTube. They were late to the subscriptions party and YouTube’s focus for many years was largely just on ads. While they have been at subscriptions for a year, and the numbers are very encouraging, YouTube must prove its credibility when it comes to its ability to shepherd their funnel of users into paid subscriptions.
But since I’ve been here, I’ve been incredibly encouraged by what I’ve seen. The team is serious about subscriptions. And now with YouTube Music and Google Play Music merging, I’m confident they will build an even better subscription service. And with more deals like the one YouTube recently signed with Warner, they’re going to be able to take it global.
Twin-engine growth.
The success of streaming subscriptions is one reason why I’m so optimistic about the future. Subscription revenue is still in its infancy, yet it’s already reaping billions for the music industry. It’s not just some business model on a whiteboard; it’s a real and rapidly growing source of cash for labels and artists today.
Some think ads are the death of the music industry. Ads are not death. Death is death. Irrelevance is death. Fans not being exposed to new music is death. My time at YouTube has me convinced that advertising is another powerful source of growth for the industry. YouTube’s ads hustle has already brought over a billion dollars in 12 months to the industry and it’s growing rapidly. Combined with YouTube’s growing subscription service, they’ve now got two engines taking the industry to a more lucrative place than it’s ever been before.
But that all depends on whether or not the industry chokes off these new sources of growth. I’m old enough to remember what the industry was saying about iTunes and Spotify before they started contributing billions to its bottom line. The growth that the industry is seeing today proves that ads and subscription thrive side by side.
Let’s talk dead presidents.
It is important that labels, publishers and YouTube come together to make transparency a reality, as I strongly believe it will help everyone in the industry move the business forward.
Artists and songwriters need to truly understand what they’re making on different platforms. It’s not enough for YouTube to say that it’s paid over $1 billion to the industry from ads. We (the labels, publishers and YouTube) must shine a light on artist royalties, show them how much they make from ads compared to subscriptions by geography and see how high their revenue is in the U.S. and compared to other services.
For instance, critics complain YouTube isn’t paying enough money for ad-supported streams compared to Spotify or Pandora. I was one of them! Then I got here and looked at the numbers myself. At over $3 per thousand streams in the U.S., YouTube is paying out more than other ad supported services.
Why doesn’t anyone know that? Because YouTube is global and the numbers get diluted by lower contributions in developing markets. But they’re working the ads hustle like crazy so payouts can ramp up quickly all around the world. If they can do that, this industry could double in the next few years.
Fortune AND fame.
Every day for the last 30 years, I’ve woken up with the same thought: maybe today’s the day I’m going to meet an artist that’s going to change pop culture. I love watching when an artist goes from obscurity to celebrity. That’s my drug.
Every artist I’ve ever worked with wanted some fame and fortune. YouTube will deliver fortune … but I think they need to be just as focused on bringing the fame. YouTube is already a great force for breaking new artists; in fact, the majority of music watchtime on YouTube is coming from its recommendations, rather than people searching for what they want to listen to. But YouTube needs to find new ways to promote and break artists and their albums so they have a chance to shine on the platform and connect with their fans. This is one of my biggest priorities and you’ll see more coming soon.
Without safe harbor, we’d all be lost at sea.
I’ve spent my professional life fighting for artists to get what they deserve. I’ve worked with the RIAA and the IFPI to fight piracy since back when the main concern was bootlegged tapes. Safe harbor has become an obsession -- with many complaining it’s the cause of all of industry’s woes. I’m not parroting the company line when I say the focus on copyright safe harbors is a distraction. Safe harbor helps open platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Soundcloud and Instagram give a voice to millions of artists around the world, making the industry more competitive and vibrant.
Every artist should be concerned if their music shows up online without credit or payment. But YouTube’s team has built a system in Content ID that helps rightsholders earn money no matter who uploads their music. As of 2016, 99.5 percent of music claims on YouTube are matched automatically by Content ID and are either removed or monetized.
Before Content ID, when a fan shared a song with a friend through a mix tape, it was called piracy. Now it's generated over $2 billion for content owners and goes far beyond what the safe harbor provision requires.
One of the first jobs I ever had in the music business was working as a road manager for Run DMC. Doing that taught me a lesson that has formed the core of what I’ve tried to do my entire career: set things up well so that the artists and fans can come together and make magic happen. I’ve spent my entire life helping artists achieve fame and fortune. I wouldn’t have joined YouTube if I didn’t believe the company was committed to delivering more revenue to artists, labels, publishers and composers -- they just have to set them up well and get out of their way.
With love and respect,
Lyor Cohen
Lyor recently watched “
Brothers Gonna Work It Out
”
Introducing a new way to share YouTube videos
Monday, August 7, 2017
Remember the first time you heard the opening beats of “
Despacito
”? Your ears perked up, your foot unconsciously tapping beneath the table. Like every “Despacito” loving person before you,
you can’t help but dance
, and when you'd finally caught your breath, you had to share it with all your friends. It would be wrong to keep something
this good
to yourself. And that means you had to copy and paste a link into an email, social or messaging app to share that moment.
But like chats around the water cooler, shouldn't sharing a video be as easy as saying, “Have you heard this new song?” We’ve been experimenting with a better way to share videos on YouTube since last year. Thanks to all your feedback, we made some improvements and are now ready to roll out this new sharing feature to all users globally.
Starting today, you can share videos with your friends and family directly on YouTube. Not only can you share and receive videos in the app, you can also chat about them right on YouTube, reply with another video, invite others to the conversation, and more. We think it’ll make sharing easier, faster and more fun on your phone. And if you want to continue sharing videos through other apps, you can still do that too.
These shared videos all live in a brand new tab on your YouTube mobile app, making it easier than ever to catch up on videos your friends have shared or to show them a few of your own favorites.
Start a group, share your favorite “Despacito” version and make a friend dance!
Benoît de Boursetty, Product Manager, recently shared “
A new way to share on YouTube
.”
An update on our commitment to fight terror content online
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
A little over a month ago, we told you about the
four new steps
we’re taking to combat terrorist content on YouTube: better detection and faster removal driven by machine learning, more experts to alert us to content that needs review, tougher standards for videos that are controversial but do not violate
our policies
, and more work in the counter-terrorism space.
We wanted to give you an update on these commitments:
Better detection and faster removal driven by machine learning
: We’ve always used a mix of technology and human review to address the ever-changing challenges around controversial content on YouTube. We recently began developing and implementing cutting-edge machine learning technology designed to help us identify and remove violent extremism and terrorism-related content in a scalable way. We have started rolling out these tools and we are already seeing some positive progress:
Speed and efficiency
: Our machine learning systems are faster and more effective than ever before. Over 75 percent of the videos we've removed for violent extremism over the past month were taken down before receiving a single human flag.
Accuracy
: The accuracy of our systems has improved dramatically due to our machine learning technology. While these tools aren’t perfect, and aren’t right for every setting, in many cases our systems have proven more accurate than humans at flagging videos that need to be removed.
Scale
: With over 400 hours of content uploaded to YouTube every minute, finding and taking action on violent extremist content poses a significant challenge. But over the past month, our initial use of machine learning has more than doubled both the number of videos we've removed for violent extremism, as well as the rate at which we’ve taken this kind of content down.
We are encouraged by these improvements, and will continue to develop our technology in order to make even more progress. We are also hiring more people to help review and enforce our policies, and will continue to invest in technical resources to keep pace with these issues and address them responsibly.
More experts
: Of course, our systems are only as good as the the data they’re based on. Over the past weeks, we have begun working with more than 15 additional expert NGOs and institutions through our Trusted Flagger program, including the Anti-Defamation League, the No Hate Speech Movement, and the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. These organizations bring expert knowledge of complex issues like hate speech, radicalization, and terrorism that will help us better identify content that is being used to radicalize and recruit extremists. We will also regularly consult these experts as we update our policies to reflect new trends. And we’ll continue to add more organizations to our network of advisors over time.
Tougher standards
: We’ll soon be applying tougher treatment to videos that aren’t illegal but have been flagged by users as potential violations of our policies on hate speech and violent extremism. If we find that these videos don’t violate our policies, but contain controversial religious or supremacist content, they will have some features removed. The videos will remain on YouTube behind an interstitial, won’t be recommended, won’t be monetized, and won’t have key features including comments, suggested videos, and likes. We’ll begin to roll this new treatment out to videos on desktop versions of YouTube in the coming weeks, and will bring it to mobile experiences soon thereafter. These new approaches entail significant new internal tools and processes, and will take time to fully implement.
Early intervention and expanding counter-extremism work
: We’ve started
rolling out features from Jigsaw’s Redirect Method
to YouTube. When people search for sensitive keywords on YouTube, they will be redirected towards a playlist of curated YouTube videos that directly confront and debunk violent extremist messages. We also continue to amplify YouTube voices speaking out against hate and radicalization through our
YouTube Creators for Change
program. Just last week, the U.K. chapter of Creators for Change,
Internet Citizens
, hosted a two-day workshop for 13-18 year-olds to help them find a positive sense of belonging online and learn skills on how to participate safely and responsibly on the internet. We also
pledged
to expand the program’s reach to 20,000 more teens across the U.K.
And over the weekend, we hosted our latest Creators for Change workshop in Bandung, Indonesia, where creators teamed up with Indonesia’s Maarif Institute to teach young people about the importance of diversity, pluralism, and tolerance.
Altogether, we have taken significant steps over the last month in our fight against online terrorism. But this is not the end. We know there is always more work to be done. With the help of new machine learning technology, deep partnerships, ongoing
collaborations
with other companies through the Global Internet Forum, and our vigilant community we are confident we can continue to make progress against this ever-changing threat. We look forward to sharing more with you in the months ahead.
The YouTube Team
Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism to hold first meeting in San Francisco
Monday, July 31, 2017
The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism is holding its first workshop on August 1, 2017, in San Francisco, where representatives from the tech industry, government, and non-governmental organizations are coming together to share information and best practices about how to counter the threat of terrorist content online.
Formed last month
by Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and YouTube, the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism formalizes and structures how our companies work together to curtail the spread of terrorism and violent extremism on our hosted consumer services. Building on the work started within the EU Internet Forum and the
shared industry hash database
, the GIFCT is fostering collaboration with smaller tech companies, civil society groups and academics, and governments.
In addition to the founding companies of the GIFCT, more than two dozen other technology companies and NGOs will be participating in Tuesday's meeting. We also welcome United Kingdom Home Secretary Rt Hon Amber Rudd MP and United States Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke — as well as representatives from Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the United Nations — to discuss mutual areas of cooperation.
At Tuesday's meeting we will be formalizing our goals for collaboration and identifying with smaller companies specific areas of support needed as part of the the GIFCT's workplan. Our mission is to substantially disrupt terrorists' ability to use the Internet in furthering their causes, while also respecting human rights. This disruption includes addressing the promotion of terrorism, dissemination of propaganda, and the exploitation of real-world terrorist events through online platforms. To achieve this, we will join forces around three strategies:
Employing and leveraging technology
Sharing knowledge, information and best practices, and
Conducting and funding research.
In the next several months, we also aim to achieve the following:
Secure the participation of five additional companies to the industry hash-sharing database for violent terrorist imagery; two of which have already joined: Snap Inc. and Justpaste.it
Reach 50 companies to share best practices on how to counter terrorism online through the
Tech Against Terrorism
project in partnership with ICT4Peace and the U.N. Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate
Conduct four knowledge-sharing workshops — starting in San Francisco Tuesday, with plans for further meetings later this year in other locations around the world
We believe that the best approach to tackling online terrorism is to collaborate with each other and with others outside the private sector, including civil society and government. We look forward to further cooperation as we develop a joint strategic plan over time.
Bringing new Redirect Method features to YouTube
Thursday, July 20, 2017
A month ago, we told you about
four new steps
we’re taking to combat terrorist content on YouTube. One of our core areas of focus is more work to counter online violent extremism. As a first step we’re now rolling out features from Jigsaw’s Redirect Method on YouTube.
Over the past years,
Jigsaw
partnered with
Moonshot CVE
to conduct extensive research to understand how extremist groups leverage technology to spread their message and recruit new members. From there, they created the
Redirect Method
, which uses curated video content to redirect people away from violent extremist propaganda and steer them toward video content that confronts extremist messages and debunks its mythology. Today, YouTube is rolling out a feature using the model proven by the Redirect Method: when people search for certain keywords on YouTube, we will display a playlist of videos debunking violent extremist recruiting narratives.
This early product integration of the Redirect Method on YouTube is our latest effort to provide more resources and more content that can help change minds of people at risk of being radicalized. Over the coming weeks, we hope to build on this by:
Expanding the new YouTube product functionality to a wider set of search queries in other languages beyond English.
Using machine learning to dynamically update the search query terms.
Working with expert NGOs on developing new video content designed to counter violent extremist messaging at different parts of the radicalization funnel.
Collaborating with Jigsaw to expand the “Redirect Method” in Europe.
This work is made possible by our partnerships with NGOs that are experts in this field, and we will continue to collaborate closely with them to help support their research through our technological tools. We hope our work together will also help open and broaden a dialogue about other work that can be done to counter radicalization of potential recruits.
As we develop this model of the Redirect Method on YouTube, we’ll measure success by how much this content is engaged. Stay tuned for more.
The YouTube Team
YouTube spotlight on “Country Foods”
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Everyday young professionals in India move out of their small towns to the big cities in search of their dream jobs and to earn a steady income. Srinath and Laxman did the same and they were employed by a well established media company, earning a good income to take care of their families back home.
They lived together in a small rented apartment and cooked on their own. They made their traditional recipes but frequently used YouTube to try out new cuisines. They were awestruck to see the millions of views for recipe videos on YouTube. With a background in post production, they decided to explore the opportunity for themselves and in August 2016 launched a traditional Indian recipes channel on YouTube.
Despite concerns from their families, they quit their jobs and decided to pursue this as a full-time career. When they partnered with Laxman’s 106-year-old grandmother - Mastanamma - their channel skyrocketed. Her delicious traditional recipes have received audience attention all around the world. We spoke with Srinath about their passion for food, the power of YouTube, and what lies ahead:
How did your family and friends react when you told them about your plans to quit your job and start a YouTube channel?
When I first told my wife about my plans to quit my job to start a YouTube channel, she was not very happy. At the time, I had a good job and a decent salary - we also have kids so she was not supportive of my decision and didn’t understand why I wanted to do this. But both Laxman and I were convinced that we wanted to do this - so we quit our jobs and started the channel and became YouTube creators.
What were your expectations?
We were blessed that our channel started doing well pretty quickly and we started making a similar amount of money as we were in our past jobs. This gave my family some confidence in what I was doing. But after four months, we realized that we needed to do something different to sustain our growth.
At any point did you think that this may not work?
We were visiting Laxman’s village called Gudiwada and since it’s a small village, everybody was aware of our YouTube channel. They were all very happy for us but they had no idea that we were looking for new ideas to build on our start.
That’s when Laxman’s mother suggested that we should try the recipes of Laxman’s grandmother, Mastanamma, because she makes really authentic and delicious dishes. At first we didn’t think much of it but we decided to try her food. Her food was amazing and it was not like anything we had tried before so we decided to record a few videos with her.
Our first video with her was a hit and received 3 million views. We uploaded another video titled “
Watermelon Chicken by My Granny
” and that went viral! We couldn’t believe that this recipe video hit over 8 million views. There truly is magic in her recipes and the food she makes, and that magic is now available on YouTube for everyone to enjoy. She is 106 years old and still enjoys cooking herself and for everyone. Because of YouTube, she’s able to share that passion on a global scale.
What does Mastanamma think about having her own food channel that is now popular all over the world?
Having a YouTube channel has given her new experiences that none of us ever thought were possible. She was even recently interviewed by the BBC! She doesn’t completely realize what she has created but it’s something that is connecting people all around the world. We now visit her once a month and shoot new videos for two or three days of the newest recipes she wants to share on YouTube.
Have you thought about what you want to do next?
We never expected to come this far but we’re delighted that we took a chance and our families are now very happy and supportive of our work. Our income has also gone up tremendously and our viewership comes from all over the world. We want to build on this success and are already working on a new animation channel for kids and families. We’re excited to create something unique in that space as well.
What advice does Mastanamma have for her viewers?
She says that there is no better food than the food you make yourself. Everyone should learn to cook because it’s healthier and brings people together.
#ProudToBe standing with LGBTQ+ and Creators for Change
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Happy Pride everyone! The LGBTQ+ community has been a vital part of YouTube for a long time, and as our CEO, Susan Wojcicki, stated
last week
, we want to continue supporting creators around the world who are championing the right to be themselves, love who they love, and share that experience proudly with people all across the globe.
We see firsthand how creators can be tremendous forces for good and for change. That’s why we want to shine a light on the inspirational LGBTQ+ community on YouTube who do this every day by highlighting some of their voices through our Creators for Change program. Today,
YouTube Creators for Change
is proud to launch #ProudToBe, our fifth annual Pride campaign.
The videos from this community are as varied and exceptional as the group of people making them: they’re encouraging, challenging, honest, fiery, tender, celebratory, funny, and totally badass. Thanks to these voices, people around the world can turn to YouTube to find a connection when they need it -- especially if they live in a place where they don’t have the freedom to be themselves.
With that in mind, this year we hope people around the world will join us in celebrating these all-important everyday acts of bravery and courage – some public, some personal – that make the world better for LGBTQ+ people. If you want to be a part of our #ProudToBe campaign, simply share a video or post about the first time you decided to express yourself in a way that felt truly authentic, despite what anyone said or thought.
Whatever it was, we’re here to help share your story. Because this year we’re celebrating those moments (big and small) that unlock the Pride you feel, inspire Pride in others, and show the world what makes you #ProudToBe.
Marly Ellis, Head of YouTube Brand, recently watched “
A Matter of Life or Death: LGBTQ+ Refugees | Chosen Family | Part 5
.”
Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube Announce Formation of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism
Monday, June 26, 2017
Today, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube are announcing the formation of the
Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism
, which will help us continue to make our hosted consumer services hostile to terrorists and violent extremists.
The spread of terrorism and violent extremism is a pressing global problem and a critical challenge for us all. We take these issues very seriously, and each of our companies have developed policies and removal practices that enable us to take a hard line against terrorist or violent extremist content on our hosted consumer services. We believe that by working together, sharing the best technological and operational elements of our individual efforts, we can have a greater impact on the threat of terrorist content online.
The new forum builds on initiatives including the
EU Internet Forum
and the
Shared Industry Hash Database
; discussions with the U.K. and other governments; and the conclusions of the recent
G7
and
European Council
meetings. It will formalize and structure existing and future areas of collaboration between our companies and foster cooperation with smaller tech companies, civil society groups and academics, governments and supra-national bodies such as the EU and the U.N.
The scope of our work will evolve over time as we will need to be responsive to the ever-evolving terrorist and extremist tactics. Initially, however, our work will focus on:
Technological solutions:
Our companies will work together to refine and improve existing joint technical work, such as the Shared Industry Hash Database; exchange best practices as we develop and implement new content detection and classification techniques using machine learning; and define standard transparency reporting methods for terrorist content removals.
Research:
We will commission research to inform our counter-speech efforts and guide future technical and policy decisions around the removal of terrorist content.
Knowledge-sharing:
We will work with counter-terrorism experts including governments, civil society groups, academics and other companies to engage in shared learning about terrorism. And through a joint partnership with the U.N. Security Council Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (U.N. CTED) and the ICT4Peace Initiative, we are establishing a broad knowledge-sharing network to:
Engage with smaller companies:
We will help them develop the technology and processes necessary to tackle terrorist and extremist content online.
Develop best practices:
We already partner with organizations such as the
Center for Strategic and International Studies
,
Anti-Defamation League
a
n
d
Global Network Initiative
to identify how best to counter extremism and online hate, while respecting freedom of expression and privacy.
We can socialize these best practices, and develop additional shared learnings on topics such as community guideline development, and policy enforcement.
Counterspeech
: Each of us already has robust counterspeech initiatives in place (e.g., YouTube’s
Creators for Change
, Jigsaw’s
Redirect Method
, Facebook’s P2P and OCCI, Microsoft’s partnership with the
Institute for Strategic Dialogue for counter-narratives on Bing
, Twitter’s global NGO training program). The forum we have established allows us to learn from and contribute to one another’s counterspeech efforts, and discuss how to further empower and train civil society organizations and individuals who may be engaged in similar work and support ongoing efforts such as the Civil society empowerment project (CSEP).
We will be hosting a series of learning workshops in partnership with U.N. CTED/ICT4Peace in Silicon Valley and around the world to drive these areas of collaboration.
Further information on all of the above initiatives will be shared in due course.
Updates from VidCon: more users, more products, more shows and much more
Thursday, June 22, 2017
I just got off stage after a great conversation with Rhett and Link at VidCon, where we announced a number of exciting new updates. We spoke about VR, YouTube TV, new original series and a number of improvements to the core YouTube experience. Let’s talk about that!
An update on our viewers:
A question I get all the time is “How many people actually watch YouTube?” Today, I’m pleased to announce that we crossed a big threshold:
1.5 billion logged in viewers visit YouTube every single month.
That’s the equivalent of one in every five people around the world! And how much do those people watch? On average,
our viewers spend over an hour a day
watching YouTube on mobile devices alone.
Making VR for everyone:
I also spoke about how we want to make VR more accessible and more affordable for viewers and creators. The reality is, filming 360-degree VR videos isn’t easy for most creators and some VR cameras are expensive. That’s why I’m thrilled that YouTube and Daydream have worked together on a new format,
VR180
, and new cameras, which make it easy and affordable for anyone to make VR videos. This format delivers 3-D video while capturing 180-degrees around you. Creators only have to worry about recording what’s in front of them while viewers get an awesome, immersive experience with a VR headset, or a video that looks just as great on a phone as any other video. Best of all, we’re working with camera manufacturers like LG, Yi and Lenovo to build new VR180 cameras for as little as a couple hundred dollars—comparable to what you’d pay for a point-and-shoot.
A new look for our app and desktop site:
We want to make sure YouTube gives you the best experience when it comes to creating and watching videos. Perhaps our most important job is to show off your videos in the best possible way, no matter what format you choose to shoot them in. Who cares if they’re vertical or horizontal? Shot on a mobile phone or DSLR? Square, 4:3 or 16:9?
In the coming weeks, the YouTube mobile app will dynamically adapt to whatever size you choose to watch it in. That means if you’re watching a vertical, square or horizontal video, the YouTube player will seamlessly adapt itself, filling the screen exactly the way they should.
We want things to look just as good on your desktop, too. Last month, we
opened up
a preview of a new desktop experience. The new design is clean and fresh, and it has new features, such as a super cool Dark Theme that gives videos more of a cinematic look.
Sharing is caring:
We’re making it a whole lot easier for you to share your favorite YouTube videos with friends. Last year, we announced a new sharing feature that lets you share videos right from the YouTube app. In a couple weeks, it’ll be available in Latin America and then throughout the U.S. soon after that.
More markets for YouTube TV:
We are really excited about
YouTube TV
and pleased that it will be expanding to ten more markets in just a couple of weeks, including: Dallas-Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne and Charlotte. YouTube TV was built for the YouTube generation that loves live TV but wants it delivered in a way that suits their mobile and flexible lifestyles. In fact, we see more Millennials using YouTube TV than any other generational group. Now - with this expansion - millions more people will be able to stream their favorite live sports and must-see shows from top broadcast and cable networks.
Sign up
to find out when we launch in your market.
New slate of YouTube Red Originals:
To date, we've launched 37 original series and movies on
YouTube Red
, and they've generated nearly a quarter billion views. We are excited about working with our partners to help them create incredible content that delights their fans. Today, we shared details on 12 new projects coming to YouTube Red—here's the preview:
Watch the latest shows from YouTube's biggest stars
I always have an incredible time at VidCon and this year is no different. I met amazing fans and inspirational creators and I experienced, first-hand, the wonderful sense of community and belonging between them. I hope some of these features and announcements will make their YouTube experience—and yours—better than ever.
Susan Wojcicki, CEO, YouTube recently watched Good Mythical Morning —
What’s All Over My Body (CHALLENGE)
The world as you see it with VR180
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Virtual reality helps creators bring their audiences to new, amazing, and even impossible-to-visit places. As a viewer, you get a whole new angle on
shows
,
sports
, and
concerts
you care about. You can walk around the
Eiffel Tower
, dive to the bottom of the
Great Barrier Reef
, or get a new perspective by meeting people
face-to-face
in a way that isn’t possible with a flat view of the world.
We know that virtual reality videos can be really powerful, which is why we invested in supporting 360 and VR formats for over two years. And today, VR video is the most popular way to experience VR. But, we’ve heard from creators and viewers that you want to make and see even more immersive videos on YouTube. So, we’ve been working with Google's Daydream team on a brand new video format, called VR180, that we believe will make VR content even easier to create.
VR180 video focuses on what’s in front of you, are high resolution, and look great on desktop and on mobile. They transition seamlessly to a VR experience when viewed with Cardboard, Daydream, and PSVR, which allow you to view the images stereoscopically in 3-D, where near things look near, and far things appear far. VR180 also supports livestreaming videos so creators and fans can be together in real time.
For creators, you’ll be able to set up and film your videos the way you normally would with any other camera. And, soon, you'll be able to edit using familiar tools like Adobe Premiere Pro. From vlogs, to makeup tutorials to music videos - your videos will work great in VR.
But supporting the format is just the beginning. We want to make cameras that are easy to work with too. The Daydream team is working with several manufacturers to build cameras from the ground up for VR180. These cameras are not only great for creators looking to easily make VR content, but also anyone who wants to capture life’s highlights in VR. They will be as easy to use as point-and-shoot cameras, for around the same price. Videos and livestreams will be easy to upload to YouTube. Cameras from YI, Lenovo, and LG are on the way, and the first ones will hit shelves this winter. For other manufacturers, we’re opening up a VR180 certification program and Z CAM will be one of our first partners. Learn more and sign up for updates at
vr.google.com/vr180
. If you can’t wait to try these out, eligible creators can apply to loan a VR180-enabled camera from one of our
YouTube Spaces
around the globe.
VR180 will unlock opportunities for anyone looking to easily make VR memories. We're just starting to
scratch the surface
of what is possible and look forward to seeing your new videos!
Frank Rodriguez, Product Manager, recently watched "
What's Inside Marshmello Helmet?
"
#MoreThanARefugee
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
At YouTube, our mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world -- particularly those who are underrepresented and whose voices and experiences are not always heard.
That’s why for World Refugee Day,
YouTube Creators for Change
– a global initiative supporting creators who tackle social issues and promote awareness, tolerance and empathy – has teamed up with the
International Rescue Committee
to create a new video series highlighting refugee voices from around the world. The IRC, which provides vital on-the-ground support to refugees in more than 40 countries and 28 U.S. cities, helped seven YouTube creators meet refugees in five different countries to help shine a light on their stories and to collaborate with them on videos depicting their unique experiences.
Over the past few weeks, Mama Bee from
Eh Bee Family
,
Tyler Oakley
,
Jouelzy
,
Fly with Haifa
, Francis Maxwell of
The Young Turks
,
Suli Breaks
, and Greg and Mitch from
AsapSCIENCE
traveled to Jordan, Serbia, Uganda, Greece and to cities in the U.S. to meet scientists, artists, mothers, and students who also happen to be refugees.
The stories they share go beyond the crisis coverage you see on the news and offer a look at the people behind the label--beautiful, courageous and fascinating people, each of whom is #MoreThanARefugee.
Each creator found they had much in common with the remarkable people they got to spend time with: Don and Suli are both artists; Mama Bee and Amira are both mothers who love their children fiercely; Catherine and Francis have always loved to play football to escape from everyday life; Haifa and Maryam are both dreamers who believe in the beauty of life. Our circumstances may be different, but our shared humanity is much greater than anything that sets us apart.
This humanitarian crisis has displaced tens of millions of people, and we hope these videos can help those of us who are not directly affected empathize with people experiencing life as a refugee. Parents and children, athletes and foodies, students and professors, businesspeople, artists and everything in between, these incredibly brave people have all been forced to flee their homes and endure tremendous challenges in search of safety.
If you want to stand with refugees, we stand with you. You’ll see donation cards for the IRC enabled on these videos, and over the next week, YouTube and Google.org will match your donation up to $500,000. The IRC provides humanitarian aid for people fleeing crisis and disaster, and more than 90 percent of all money donated to the IRC goes to programs and services that directly benefit refugees and displaced people.
Danielle Tiedt, Chief Marketing Officer, YouTube, recently watched
the full series of #MoreThanARefugee stories
.
Game on!: YouTube at E3 2017
Monday, June 12, 2017
From the hotly anticipated reveal of Xbox’s Project Scorpio to the breathtaking trailer of Hideo Kojima’s “Death Stranding,” gamers around the world joined together in celebration at last year’s E3. It’s the most anticipated event of the year for us gamers, where we get to hit refresh on every blog, website and gaming stream to see what the next year has in store.
This year, YouTube is back again to give gamers around the world a front row seat to everything at E3 on our
YouTube Gaming hub
. Yesterday we began our exclusive two-day, 17-hour livestream hosted by Geoff Keighley and brought to you by Totino’s Pizza Rolls™. We saw the reveal of the Xbox One X and made live
Tiltbrush Art
in mixed reality, all in 4K Ultra HD. We're back today at 1 p.m. PT with more press releases, exclusive interviews, and discussion with YouTube's biggest names.
But the YouTube E3 coverage doesn’t stop there! From Tuesday, June 13, to Thursday, June 15,
Rooster Teeth
takes over with nonstop discussion of the big announcements, interviews with your favorite developers, and game demos from the show, presented by “War for the Planet of the Apes,” in theaters July 14.
Finally, YouTube.com/e3 will host the
Trailer Battle
for its ninth year in a row. With our annual showcase of the hottest trailers released at and around E3, you can watch and vote for your favorite trailers, collect items, and build your inventory to save the multiverse! Be sure to come back the following week to see if your favorites made the top 5.
See you soon at E3!
Ryan Wyatt, Global Head of Gaming Content & Partnerships, recently watched "
Sidemen vs YouTube All-Stars Live
."
'Rocket Man,' 'Bennie and the Jets' and 'Tiny Dancer' reimagined for YouTube, by … you!
Monday, May 22, 2017
A little while back,
we asked you
if you’d like to create the official music videos for three of Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s biggest hits: “Rocket Man,” “Bennie and the Jets” and “Tiny Dancer.” And, well, you answered. Entries flooded in from over 50 countries around the world and you reminded us what magic is made when technology and creativity collide.
These iconic hits - released in 1971, 1972 and 1973 - were made before the emergence of music videos, yielding an opportunity to breathe new creativity into some of the most loved music of all time. We’re so excited to share the results of
The Cut, Supported by YouTube
with you here, a project dreamed up and made possible by Elton John and Bernie Taupin on the 50th anniversary of their songwriting partnership and designed to support new talent, just like you. The concept was beautifully simple. And the results are amazing.
Video: “Rocket Man”
Visual Medium: Animation
Winner: Majid Adin
Majid Adin’s winning video for “Rocket Man” is a poignant animated work that draws on his personal experiences as an Iranian refugee making his way to England -- reimagining the song and giving a new perspective to the lyrics to tell a thought-provoking story of adventure, loneliness and hope. A fine art university graduate working in animation production, Adin travelled across Europe during the 2015 refugee crisis, spending time in the infamous Calais Jungle camp before being granted asylum in the U.K. and now rebuilding his life as an artist in Britain.
Video: “Bennie and the Jets”
Visual Medium: Choreography
Winner: Jack Whiteley and Laura Brownhill
The “Bennie and the Jets” video has been interpreted by director Jack Whiteley and choreographer/artistic director Laura Brownhill and tells the story of the formation of Bennie and her Jets. The set and central structure takes its inspiration from Fritz Lang’s 1927 science-fiction film, “Metropolis,” while the synchronized choreography is inspired by Busby Berkeley films, and the black-and-white aesthetic is a nod to the classic Hollywood era.
Video: “Tiny Dancer”
Visual Medium: Live action
Winner: Max Weiland
Max Weiland’s winning video for “Tiny Dancer” is a tribute to Los Angeles. The British director’s work shows people from all walks of life traveling around the city, all listening to the same song – “Tiny Dancer.” It’s inspired by Elton and Bernie's love of California, Max Weiland captures the free-spirited characters of L.A, in this sun-soaked homage to the Golden State.
Thank you for the music ... and the videos!
Maya Amoils, Product Marketing Manager, YouTube, recently watched “
Katy Perry Goes Undercover as an Art Exhibit at the Whitney Museum | Vanity Fair
.”
Honoring #AllTheMoms this Mother’s Day
Friday, May 12, 2017
As a mother myself, I’m amazed by all the different mamas that share their stories on YouTube. They help us understand how single moms, married moms, working moms, stay-at-home moms, partner moms, #AllTheMoms live their lives. They show us what it means to be a parent today – the joys, the challenges, the moments that make you laugh, sometimes wince and sometimes cry (in the best sort of way).
There are entrepreneurs like Elle, Brooke and Meg of
WhatsUpMoms
, comedians like
Glozell
, beauty experts like
Louise Pentland
, and vloggers that live in every corner of the world. From
Nikki Perkins
in Australia to
Domo and Crissy
and
Flavia Calina
in Brazil, moms of all backgrounds use YouTube to share their reality in ways that are unique to them and the kids they’re raising.
I’m in awe of how this community of moms continues to grow and support one another. Between 2015 and 2016, views of mother-related content grew 81 percent. Most importantly, videos related to education and tips for moms grew a staggering 98 percent over this same amount of time. To help celebrate this community of motherhood, we want to send a Mother’s Day thank you to #AllTheMoms out there who create, watch, learn and use their voices to support mothers around the globe:
To all the moms who get real about
breastfeeding
, fostering
self-esteem
,
sending a child off to college
, feeling
glamorous
and
not-so-glamorous
, or just
getting groceries
: thank you for your honesty. Wherever you come from and whatever your story, we are so thankful you share it with us.
Danielle Tiedt, Chief Marketing Officer at YouTube recently watched
these inspiring moms on YouTube
.
From the Brandcast stage: New star-studded shows for audiences around the globe
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Kevin Hart. Rhett and Link. Ellen DeGeneres. Katy Perry. The Slow Mo Guys. Demi Lovato. Ludacris.
These amazing stars all have something in common: They're starring in new shows premiering exclusively on YouTube. And since these shows are ad-supported, you—and every single one of our billion-plus viewers—can watch for free.
Bringing even more can’t-miss content to audiences globally
For years, we’ve been proud to work with creators like
Casey Neistat
,
Jackie Aina
and countless others who have turned their channels into daily destinations. And with these channels packaged within Google Preferred—our offering that allows brands to advertise on some of the most-loved and most-watched content on YouTube—brands have been able to support the videos you love, so you can enjoy for free.
These channels continue to be hugely successful. That’s why, starting in 2016, we made the decision to take YouTube to the next level. We began making premium original content for our subscription service,
YouTube Red
, releasing 30 series and movies in just over a year. And we kept hearing from brands they wanted to be more involved in these premium series.
Launching new ad-supported shows, exclusively on YouTube
When excited fans, brands, and creators tell us something, we listen. We’re thrilled to announce that beginning later this year, some of the biggest YouTube creators and Hollywood names will be featured in seven new series on YouTube—bringing more can’t-get-enough-of and can’t-find-anywhere-else shows to everyone, everywhere. With these new shows, brands can be a part of content that’s generating buzz around the world.
Check out the must-see lineup:
Ellen’s Show Me More Show
:
Like nothing Ellen has done before,
Ellen’s Show Me More Show
is a twice-a-week series built just for YouTube, giving fans behind the scenes access to some of the biggest stars and her favorite moments.
Good Mythical Morning
:
Worldwide YouTube superstars—and hosts of YouTube’s most popular daily show—Rhett & Link will go to new heights in a long-form expansion of
Good Mythical Morning
, giving fans even more of what they crave: larger-than-life stunts, zanier challenges, and over-the-top laughs.
Kevin Hart: What the Fit?
:
Kevin will team up with celebrity friends and YouTube stars each week as they attempt to master a different trending, grueling and sometimes ridiculous workout routine.
I Am: Demi Lovato
:
Global music sensation and social advocate, Demi Lovato reveals a yearlong personal journey of music reinvention and deep discovery as she dives into the writing and recording of her new album in her new series,
I Am: Demi Lovato
.
Best.Cover.Ever.
:
From Ryan Seacrest Productions and Endemol Shine North America,
Best.Cover.Ever.
is a cutting-edge talent competition series hosted by Ludacris where emerging talent from across the globe submit covers to YouTube to vie for the ultimate prize: an opportunity to perform a duet with a superstar artist. Submit your cover now at
thebestcoverever.com
.
The Super Slow Show
:
YouTube stars The Slow Mo Guys will test the latest in technology to reinvent the way we look at celebrities, music, pranks, comedy sketches and more, giving a one-of-a-kind glimpse into what the world looks like in slow motion.
Katy Perry Live Special
:
It's real. It's raw. It's Katy Perry. Live on YouTube,
The Katy Perry Live Special
will take you inside of her world, revealing the experiences and emotions she poured into her all-new soul-baring music on the eve of her highly anticipated album launch. With unique access, global reach and surprise fun packed along the way, Katy will break it all down in this album listen-along, and if you stick around long enough, there might just be fireworks.
We’re excited to partner with top creators and world-class production companies to offer these new shows to audiences globally—on the platform where the world chooses to watch over a billion hours of video every day.
1
People turn to YouTube to express themselves, engage with creators, and connect with the thriving communities they’re proud to be a part of.
This vibrant fan and creator community is also why brands turn to YouTube. And we're excited that Johnson & Johnson Consumer Brands will be our first advertising partner of this new content. In addition to a major investment in our creators through Google Preferred, they’ve signed on as the exclusive sponsor of
Best.Cover.Ever.
, helping to make the talent competition accessible to YouTube viewers.
Check out
#Brandcast
to see highlights from the night and
look here
to see what new YouTube trends were announced.
Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer, YouTube, recently watched "
Justin Bieber - Despacito Ft. Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee
."
1
Source: YouTube Internal Data, Global, 2016
A sneak peek at YouTube’s new look and feel
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
YouTube is where you come to watch your favorite creators -- whether that means jamming with
Alex Aiono
, gaming with
Strawburry17
, or hanging out with
Logan Paul
. That’s why we’re working on a redesign of the desktop experience that highlights your favorite videos and creators while making YouTube easier and more fun to use.
Starting today, we’re opening up a preview of the new design to a small group of people from all around the world so we can get feedback. While we hope you'll love what we’ve been working on, we’re also really excited to involve the YouTube community so we can make the site even better before sharing it more broadly.
We’re applying
Material Design
to YouTube to deliver a beautiful, delightful and intuitive user experience. The key principles of this new design are:
Simplicity
: The only thing you should be concerned about is watching the content you love. The new design is clean and fresh, thanks to the removal of visuals that can distract from your browsing or watching experience. We're focused on making the content shine!
Consistency
: The new design is aligned across Google platforms, including the YouTube mobile app, while still providing the features you know and love.
Beauty
: We strive to combine beauty and purpose to create an effortless experience.
The site design is built on a new, faster framework named
Polymer
, which enables quicker feature development from here on out. And today, we are introducing one of the first new features developed on Polymer: Dark Theme. Developed to cut down on glare and let you take in the true colors of the videos you watch, Dark Theme turns your background dark throughout your entire YouTube experience. This is only the beginning -- you can look forward to more powerful new features coming soon!
If you want to try out YouTube’s latest look, you can opt-in to preview the new design at
youtube.com/new
. You can return to the current design by selecting “Restore classic YouTube” from the Account Menu. And don't forget to send us feedback from the Account Menu.
We're still working on the new site, so we hope you'll try it out now and let us know what you think!
Brian Marquardt, Product Manager, recently watched “
Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen/PIKO-TARO
.”
The YouTube Kids app is now available on even more screens!
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Love using the YouTube Kids app on your phone and tablet? Well, we’re excited to announce that now you can enjoy your favorite videos on select smart TVs too!
Since launching just over two years ago, the YouTube Kids app has become the go-to destination for families around the world with more than 30 billion views and over 8 million weekly active viewers. Starting today, the YouTube Kids app will be available on LG, Samsung, and Sony smart TVs in the 26 countries where the app is currently launched*.
We’ve heard from families that they love watching videos on all their devices so bringing the entertaining and enriching content of YouTube Kids to the biggest personal screen (your TV!) seemed like the perfect fit.
The
YouTube Kids app
is the first Google product built from the ground up with kids in mind. The app makes it easier for kids to find videos on topics they want to explore. Whether it’s searching for science experiments, watching a favorite cartoon, or simply watching your favorite creator’s new videos, there is something for everyone!
The YouTube Kids app will be available
on the following television sets
: all 2015 - 2017 LG webOS TVs via the LG content store, all 2013 - 2017 Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-Ray Players that have access to the Samsung App Store, and after a firmware update on 2016-2017 Sony TVs (with the exception of Android TV, which will be available soon). Happy viewing from our family to yours!
*Countries where the YouTube Kids App is available: United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Spain, Brazil, Russia, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malaysia, Philippines, India, Singapore, and France. The availability of the YouTube Kids app in these countries is dependent on the individual television manufacturer
AJ Crane, Product Manager for YouTube Kids, recently watched “
Kings of Atlantis
” on YouTube Red
Introducing our first class of Creators for Change fellows
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Back in
September
, YouTube announced a new program called Creators for Change, putting forward creators with big ideas to help counter xenophobia, extremism and hate with stories promoting positive change. One of our first steps was teaming up with 11
program ambassadors
who are now hard at work developing unique social impact projects which range from a new web series on topics like race, religion, and sexual orientation, to a 10-city workshop series for high school and university students dedicated to creating positive content. Our local chapters in countries like
Indonesia
continue to promote the importance of inclusiveness among young people. And as part of this program, Google.org, our philanthropic arm, has awarded $2M in charitable funds to support nonprofits that promote inclusion and cross-cultural understanding to the:
Active Change Foundation
,
Habibie Center
,
Maslaha
,
Skateistan
,
Southern Poverty Law Center
, TAFNIT and
Witness
.
Mentorship and support for emerging voices is a key part of the Creators for Change program, and we’re now ready to take on our next phase. We’ve collaborated with our program ambassadors to identify new voices we’d like to support and today, we’re excited to introduce the 27 creators from around the world who will join us as the first-ever Creators for Change fellows:
Australia:
L-Fresh the Lion
France:
Swann Périssé
,
Arthur Pires
Germany:
Jette Lübbehüsen
,
Firas Alshater
India:
Nikharika Nm
,
Them Boxer Shorts
,
Sandeep Jha
Indonesia:
Raja Gopalz
,
Gita Devi
,
Jovi Hunter
Oman:
Ashwaq Al Maskery
Turkey:
Özgür Turhan and Deniz Bağdaş
,
İlker Gümüşoluk
United Arab Emirates:
Maha Abdelghaffar
United Kingdom:
Nadir Nahdi
,
Myles Dyer
,
Leena Normington
,
Taha Khan
,
Sam Saffold-Geri
,
Rosianna Rojas
United States:
Subhi Taha
,
Amani Al-Khatahtbeh
,
Taylor Behnke
,
Tasneem Afridi
,
Evelyn Ngugi
Yemen:
Ezaldeen Aref
Together with our ambassadors, we’re eager to support these YouTube role models as they continue to create content that challenges tough topics like hate and extremism, and spread positive messages. For starters, these Creators for Change fellows will each receive equipment and production grants to help them develop new projects and take these productions to the next level.
We’ll also give the creators production support through our YouTube Spaces, and this summer our Spaces in London, New York and Mumbai will host new social impact camps designed exclusively for our program Fellows. These three-day-long camps will include workshops on best practices for producing social change videos, 1:1 channel support from YouTube experts, as well as plenty of time for the Fellows to connect with one another and some of the global program ambassadors.
Through these new resources and programs, we’re committed to helping our new Creators for Change fellows take on new projects that help raise and amplify the issues they care about. Stay tuned for more soon and, for now, you can read about their inspiring stories at the
Creators for Change site
.
Juniper Downs, Head of YouTube Public Policy, recently watched
this inspiring group of creators share their stories
.
The miracle of Live
Monday, April 17, 2017
On Saturday, the world's most famous giraffe,
April
, gave birth to a baby boy.
Since February 10, 2017,
Animal Adventure
, an educational animal park in New York, has been livestreaming April's pregnancy and creating a social media sensation with fans all over the world tuning in regularly to check on her progress. One industrious fan created an app to
crowdsource pregnancy updates
from tens of thousands of other fans following the livestream. A pregnant woman even
parodied April’s livestream
, becoming an internet sensation in her own right. Waiting for April to give birth became an experience shared around the world.
As the anticipation and audience grew leading up to the big moment, Animal Adventure Park became the
second most live-viewed channel
in the history of YouTube despite launching a mere 66 days ago. Here are the highlights of April and her baby bump:
Over 232 million live views and 7.6 billion minutes of live watch-time total.
The livestreams became daily programming for millions, with an average time watched of more than
30 minutes
across an average of 3.5 million views per day.
Saturday, the day of the birth, was the channel’s biggest day, surging to over 14 million live views.
More than 1.2 million viewers were watching the livestream simultaneously at 6:55 a.m. PST on Saturday, a peak that ranked as one of the
top five
most-watched moments for a live event ever on YouTube.
Giraffes already hold the record for being the tallest land animals in the world, but here are some other records April set this weekend:
Animal Adventure Park became the fifth fastest channel to 200 million views, achieving the feat in only 54 days (behind notable celebrity non-giraffes
Lady Gaga
and
Zayn
).
It’s one of only seven channels to eclipse 100 million live views so far and the fastest to do so of any channel.
Fans have been connecting with Animal Adventure Park’s staff too through live chat. The channel received over 4,400
Super Chat
messages, making them now the second highest Super Chat earner by revenue.
But April wasn't just the star of a popular stream; she sparked a pop culture phenomenon, with YouTube creators and fans posting videos of their own that were watched over 48.7 million times, including
day-by-day analysis of pregnancy signs
,
baby showers
, and
anxious messages about the wait
.
We've seen some of the biggest events in
music
,
sports
,
politics
, and
gaming
play out on YouTube over the years. Thanks to one endearing mother giraffe, we'll have to add animal events to that list now too.
Posted by Kevin Allocca, Head of Culture & Trends, recently watched "
Tropical Reef Camera
."
Get the best seat in the house and watch Coachella live exclusively on YouTube
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
When you think of Coachella you think of amazing music artists, thrilling performances and nonstop fun in the middle of the desert. This year’s fest will be bigger than ever and even if you can’t make it to Coachella in person, you don’t have to miss out on a moment of the action.
For the seventh year in a row, YouTube brings you the exclusive Coachella livestream presented by T-Mobile. This year, with select acts also available in Live 360. Music fans from around the world can tune-in to
Coachella's YouTube channel
from April 14-16, on any screen (desktop, mobile and living room).
Catch performances from global superstars and the hottest rising talent in the world, including headliners
Lady Gaga
,
Kendrick Lamar
and
Radiohead
, as well as
Bon Iver
,
Future
,
Gucci Mane
,
Lorde
,
New Order
,
ScHoolboy Q
,
The xx
,
Two Door Cinema Club
and more.
You can choose from three always-on channels as well as a Live 360 Mode that will appear for select performances. Don’t miss any of the shows you’re most excited for by creating a personalized calendar that lets you track all your favorite performances. The livestream channels will automatically change to your favorite artists based on your selection. And if you
turn on notifications
for artists you subscribe to, you’ll get a note when they go live.
For the first time ever you’ll even get a sneak peek inside the famous underground dance music Yuma tent.
If you miss one of the big performances, we still have you covered with a video-on-demand hub that will showcase highlights and footage from performers throughout the weekend.
Stay tuned to find out more information about Coachella performances and be sure to subscribe to
Coachella's YouTube channel
so you’re part of the action!
Ali Rivera, Head of Artist Partnerships, YouTube recently watched
“
Kendrick Lamar 'Humble'
” & Brian Anderson, Global Music Sponsorships, recently watched “
Juan Atkins, Derrick May + Kevin Saunderson in Conversation
.”
Missouri Star Quilt Company: Our YouTube Story
Friday, April 7, 2017
In 2009, my new quilting business was struggling to get off the ground. The recession had hit my family and my town of Hamilton, Mo., pretty hard and I had started Missouri Star Quilt Company as a way to earn retirement money while doing something I loved. But like almost every small business at the time, Missouri Star wasn’t setting the world on fire. To help get the word out, my son Al suggested we film some tutorials and post them to YouTube.
“Sure,” I told him. “What’s a tutorial?”
Back then, I had never even visited YouTube, but I decided to try it out. I set up my sewing machine in a corner of the shop and Al began to shoot our first video on a handheld camera. We didn’t even bother to close the shop because foot traffic was so slow. Those first videos didn’t always look super spiffy, but I think people appreciated that I was making a hobby that sometimes feels intimidating to learn, more approachable.
Week by week, we filmed new tutorials and though it took a little while, we started seeing our views and subscriber numbers go up. First we hit 1,000 subscribers, then 10,000 subscribers. And while our online following was growing, we started getting some new visitors in real life, too. People were popping into our store from as far away as Texas, Virginia and Mexico telling me how they’d seen our videos on YouTube and wanted to visit me in person. We couldn’t just film the videos during store hours anymore; the foot traffic had picked up! And it was coming from everywhere.
By 2012, we had over 25,000 subscribers and we were regularly getting visitors to Missouri Star from around the world. Our sales were growing quickly and we decided to use the money we were earning to help invest in our community. One by one, I had seen businesses in Hamilton pack up and leave as the recession got worse and I wanted to change that trend. We decided to buy up a few of those boarded-up buildings to give our visitors an even richer experience.
We opened a store for Civil War-era prints, a store for modern quilt fabric, a store for novelty patterns and still we kept growing. Today, Hamilton is the Disneyland of quilting. We have 12 quilting stores operating in Hamilton and we get busloads of visitors coming to our small town almost every week. We didn’t just stop at quilting, either. We’ve partnered with talented chefs, cooks and bakers in our community to help them open their own business. In small town of 1,800, Missouri Star Quilt now employs over 400 people.
I remember having a dance party with my family when we sold seven orders in one day. Now we ship as many as 5,000 orders a day. Missouri Star Quilt Company has grown from one woman with a quilting machine to the largest seller of pre-cut quilting fabric in the world and the biggest employer in our county.
None of that could have been possible without YouTube. Our channel allowed us to turn our small business into a global business. We now have over 350,000 subscribers on YouTube, from countries throughout the world.
But as great as all those numbers are, the thing that makes me happiest is what I did in that very first video: teach someone how to quilt. I’ve been lucky to find something I truly love to do and I’m so happy YouTube has given me the opportunity to share that passion with others. It’s meant the world to my small business, to my community and to me.
--Jenny Doan
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