YouTube’s 10th anniversary: The best views and opinions from around the web
The world’s most famous online video platform continues to change the way we watch.
YouTube turned 10 years old last week.
It was a milestone that triggered opinion pieces about its impact in literally thousands of places.
We’ve collated the most interesting YouTube articles we’ve read in the last few days which include some handy online video stats are scattered throughout.
The evolution of online video, The Guardian
This article by Fred McConnell profiles 10 videos which have arguably shaped the platform the most.
One of the most interesting videos referenced was the classic “wardrobe malfunction” clip from the 2004-05 Superbowl which is cited as the inspiration for the eventual YouTube platform.
Why? When that event took place there was no central and obvious place for that video to live.
As we now know, if something happens anywhere in the world, and footage exists, YouTube is the place you go to watch it.
Read the full article here.
The top 10 most viewed YouTube video of all time, Gossip Cop
Nine of the top ten all time YouTube videos are music videos. This may surprise some, but it shouldn’t.
Music videos are the most powerful example of evergreen content – something that has infinite relevance.
While businesses may never achieve the online video visibility of music acts (who are supported by legions of loyal fans) this is another reminder that evergreen content should be part of any online video strategy.
It is also worth noting that YouTube continues to make music a key part of its product as evidenced by the YouTube Music Key app which is currently in beta testing.
Check out the full Gossip Cop piece here.
Happy 10th,YouTube: This is your life – and ours, ReadWrite
Another wrap of some of the most important YouTube videos of all time.
The ubiquitous “viral video” is the main focus of this piece, capturing the moments that sparked mass-sharing frenzies.
Read the full article here.
How YouTube changed journalism, TheAtlantic.com
A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that 39 percent of all videos used by news organizations depicted raw footage shot by civilians.
This piece examines the barriers that have been shattered by the explosion of YouTube, and the resulting pros and cons of citizen journalism.
To get a feel for the impact of citizen journalism, take a look at the video below from Truthloader which summarised the role it played in an helicopter crash that took place in London in 2014.
View the full Atlantic.com article here.
What does the future look like?
Ironically, the future of YouTube appears headed toward a model adopted by traditional TV networks: Live events (especially major sports) and exclusive content.
But this doesn’t mean the environment it has created in the last decade will disappear.
To get the best idea of what online video will look like in general over the next five years, check out the Cisco Visual Networking Index which features some of the most in-depth online video stats and insights you’ll find online.
In that report, Cisco predicts that 84% of internet traffic will be video content by 2018.
Will YouTube be the dominant force it now is in 2025 when it turns 20?
No-one can say for sure, but mobile and online video will DEFINITELY be the common element drives online participation come 2025.
For more online stats with a local feel, take a look at the post we developed featuring the 12 most compelling Australian online video stats from 2013.