Founded in 2005 [tag]YouTube[/tag] is the world’s NUMBER 1 online video [tag]social community[/tag] that allows millions of users worldwide to upload, watch and share videos. It provides a free digital platform for everyone from a home user to a multinational corporation to distribute their content in a simple and easy way.

There are no restrictions on who can view the videos and it is very much a community website with a large demographic worldwide user base.

• YouTube hosts over six million videos, growing at about 20 percent every month.
• The videos take up 45 terabytes of storage — about 5,000 home computers’ worth.
• The total time spent watching YouTube videos since it started last year is 9,305 years!

As you would expect businesses have grasped the power of YouTube to connect with audiences in a different and innovative way, this sees things as diverse as tours of hotels to videos of theme rides, anything that can be used to promote their business model.
YouTube offers a number of ways for the users and advertisers to benefit from using YouTube as a tool in their marketing mix, these (direct from YouTube) are;

• [tag]YouTube Insight[/tag]: A free tool offered by YouTube that allows anyone with a YouTube account—users, partners or advertisers—to view detailed statistics about the videos that they upload to the site.

• The YouTube Partner Programme: Original content creators have the chance to generate revenue from their work and receive the same promotional benefits afforded to YouTube’s other professional content partners.

All in all a DEFINTATE requirement for any business wanting to expand their social reach.

See: Why does my business need a branded YouTube Channel?

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