Last Wednesday, Google revealed its new YouTube offering, Google Preferred, with all the pomp and ceremony we've come to expect from the global technology giant. Model, DJ, television presenter Ruby Rose battled through the flu to host, Googlers auto-cued, marketers and agency bosses each took a turn and Empire of the Sun crooned. There were flashing lights, high production values and big name stars. A grand statement indeed. But it was scant on detail for channel partners, advertisers or agencies.
A big part of the show involved trotting out some of YouTube's more successful nobodies-come-internet-sensations, including fashion blogger Bethany Mota and homegrown Aussie chart topper Troye Sivan. Both in their teens, both global stars and both shining examples of the transformative capabilities of the platform.
When listing out their achievements, including the impressive growth of their own channels and online viewership, it was obvious what they were most excited about. Mota gushed about an appearance on Dancing with the Stars in the US. Sivan was giddy about his upcoming appearance in a film with John Cleese.
Two of the biggest internet stars YouTube could find were most excited about their opportunity to make it in traditional mediums. A quick Twitter check shows @DancingABC to have 551,000 followers, which is dwarfed by @BethanyMota’s own 2.07 million ‘Motivators’ as her fans refer to themselves. So who should be excited about hosting who?
Now don't confuse me with being a hater. At Ziff Davis, we are certainly believers and understand the power of YouTube. IGN, our games and entertainment site, is consistently reaping the benefits of our video content going gangbusters across the web. In September, our channel racked up 82,938,985 views (that’s 210,147,096 minutes watched) with over 15% new viewers. That’s a lot of mainstream eyeballs seeing our content, who normally wouldn’t visit IGN.
However, these benefits, coupled with the waning power of traditional mediums is a conversation we have almost on a daily basis. Mota's excitement about appearing on a TV show which reaches less than a quarter of the audience that a video clip of her own does, mirrors our struggle to educate the industry on the power of our websites.
"Sure, you reach 3 million young Aussies each month in a fun and engaging way, but are there any plans to bring out a magazine? I can sell that in better to my client." Is the kind of thing we hear from agencies day in and day out.
Hopefully Google Preferred will make these conversations a lot easier to have in future.
Beau Ushay
Commercial Projects & Marketing Manager
Ziff Davis Australia
For more on Google links:
Google GroupM ad deal to help shore up 'scarce' premium video inventory
No TV: Google touts YouTube stars in campaign push for brand dollars
Google shares drop as Q3 misses expectations
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