If you’ve been checking the blog on a regular basis, you know that I’m more than a little bit skeptical about YouTube’s long term prospects. I’m impressed by how much traffic they’re generating and the pioneering role they’ve taken, but….
There’s a much better way to play the Interner video game.
YouTube is a web site that lets people post, share, vote and comment on videos.
YouTube has two main weaknesses:
1. It’s easy to set up a YouTube-like site. I literally come across new ones every day. (I stopped counting at 72.)
2. The site has no focus.
Right now seeing video – any video – on the Internet is cool.
But in the months and years to come when the novelty wears off, the idea of a massive collection of random videos of wildly uneven quality is going to lose its charm.
The future?
Content specific video portals. Yes, our old friend niche marketing rides again.
Have you ever heard of GameTrailers.com?
Me neither because I’m not a video gamer, but millions are.
Here’s the idea behind GameTrailers:
Make online videos available about the latest and greatest in online game playing. Monetize the traffic by selling it to game makers.
Will this idea fly?
It already has.
GameTrailers attracted a very tightly focused market of 1.4 million visitors in January and Viacom’s MTV bought the company from its founders.
Not bad for a few year’s work.
Thinking of joining the party?
Think niche.
– Ken McCarthy
P.S. For over 25 years I’ve been sharing the simple but powerful things that matter in business with my clients.
If you’d like direction for your business that will work today, tomorrow and twenty years from now, visit us at the System Club.
I may be skeptical about YouTube, but there’s no doubt about one thing: It’s attracting a huge audience.
Here’s an article about the recent explosion in YouTube visitors.
Ken,
you are absolutely right about the future of video on the internet. the only thing i would add is that you may want to increase your estimate of the impact by a factor of 10!
Everything is moving to the internet – and i mean everything: radio, tv, telephone, music, retail, education, etc., etc. Now that we have more broadband to work with, it’s only a matter of time before the current “internet revolution” looks like a mere drop in the bucket of change. Those who embrace it will do well. Those who ignore it will perish.