Video Search 2008 Milestones
Search marketers are finally convinced – video search is here to stay and has become an integral part of their online marketing plans.
YouTube videos dominated video search results in 2008, as part of Universal search. Next year, along with Google, Yahoo’s search results will also feature YouTube videos. We also expect to see more video results from other publishers based on rigorous optimizations.
The new ad model on YouTube has been generating traction. Just like AdWords, YouTube provides opportunities for advertisers to bid on search terms on YouTube and place ads in “sponsored video” part of search results. However, instead of pointing to external web pages (as in Adwords), these YouTube ads point to the advertisers’ videos. Who would really benefit from this type of advertising are film industry and brand advertisers and their audiences.
Moreover, YouTube partnerships with TV networks are growing in 2009, as networks realize the potential of YouTube videos. The battle for viewership is driving some major changes in market share and some new players are gaining popularity. Notably, Hulu has acquired distribution rights and market shares.
In terms of trends for 2009, mobile video is growing more and more in popularity, with user generated videos, music videos and movie trailers making the majority of the video content. What is contributing mostly for this trend is universal search. We are also witnessing a boom in mobile devices, as video content really takes off in the upcoming months of 2009.
