What is YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki’s favorite video? Definitely the one which convinced her Google needed to buy YouTube and six months after the video was posted, Wojcicki led Google through the $1.65 billion acquisition of the video sharing site. She’s loved YouTube since she watched this video, and was named its CEO in February 2014.
In 2006, Wojcicki was overseeing Google video and in charge of its acquisitions. The search giant was looking at YouTube, then a tiny unprofitable Silicon Valley startup, when Wojcicki stumbled upon a video of two boys in China lipsynching to the Backstreet Boys “As Long As You Love Me.” “That was the video that made me realize that ‘Wow, people all over the world can create content, and they don’t need to be in a studio,'” Wojcicki said.
Here’s the ‘multi billion pound video’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgt519TS7-U
Ever since Google acquired YouTube rumours persisted that the service would eventually be subscription based – In September 2015 YouTube clarified this with it’s announcement of it’s new subscription service “YouTube Red” which will offer everything YouTube currently has on its service without any form of advertising, as well as a full subscription to Google Play Music and YouTube Music, formerly known as a YouTube Music Key.
The service will most importantly let you download videos and other content to watch offline — meaning you can save full series of web shows or other content for viewing on a plane, on the Tube or in poor signal areas.YouTube Red launched in the US on October 28th. Unfortunately there’s no UK launch date announced yet. Although Google is promising to announce worldwide prices and dates soon. It’s a bit disappointing, especially given that Youtube’s biggest single star PewDiePie is actually based in the UK, though we’re sure Google will find a way to sort him out with an account! Google said “If you leave the U.S., you won’t be able to save videos offline, videos won’t play in the background, and you will see ads. Any videos that you’ve saved offline before leaving the U.S., will continue to be available offline for 30 days.”
YouTube Red also works with YouTube Gaming, YouTube Kids and its other specialised content areas. The $9.99 cost is aimed squarely at services like Spotify and Apply Music, which cost the same — and if you buy a Red subscription via the iOS App Store it will cost $12.99 to cover the 30 percent ‘Apple Tax’ Cupertino applies to all in-app purchases.
YouTube is starting from an incredibly strong position: it already has millions of videos produced by its users, so it doesn’t have to start from scratch; people already know what YouTube offers and there’s something for pretty much everyone already uploaded. Busting through ads with a subscription fee is something a lot of people are going to be interested in, as is the ability to watch offline and in the background, but it’s the two-in-one deal of videos and music that will really appeal.
If Google can get its young userbase to subscribe today, it could become a goliath in a few year’s time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL9RetC0ook
