Interesting article from PBS MediaShift about the nuances of the YouTube homepage. As many have discovered, an editor’s pick on YouTube is a career-changing moment. Take Mark Day with his Smiley Intervention. He’s transformed from a local California comedian to an “web-lebrity.” I have nightmares about his bald face against a yellow wall.
This MediaShift piece also clarifies a myth that the featured videos are paid ads. There is an increasing amount of YouTube homepage real estate devoted to ads (from the upper-right corner video to some of the directors videos. But YouTube maintains the featured videos are done by editors that aren’t corrupted by the business people.
The biggest “black box” about YouTube is the way it makes these selections. It would appear that it’s designed to represent YouTube’s audience but it’s hit or miss… especially lately. And the answer to this post’s headline is: get lucky.
Here’s my handy guide to the YouTube homepage… what’s advertising and what isn’t. If I’m wrong, YouTube, correct me. If I’m right, then feature this video.
So your saying, to get fetured it’s just a matter of luck? Or were you saying that people who pay for space are getting their vids fetured lol. I havn’t seen this video yet… gah hate schools firewall 🙂
It’s luck. According to YouTube the featured videos are NOT influenced by advertising.
According to mesages passed on from youtube staff, one person choses the videos to be fetured… meaning only things she looks for and enjoys get fetured.
Btw have you taken the ‘upload survey’ yet? It’s quite interesting and seems important that we acctually take time in completing it 🙂
That person has amazing power. I’ll bet she’s really a cool person. I like her a lot.
They should feature 4-10 a day. That’d help balance the needs of various users.
Lol i had her email address from a video i saw ages back, I’ve lost it though. Wish i had kept it. Maybe an email to the writer of the blogs… that might be your best bet.
This would be a better post if you had actually told us how to get on the YouTube homepage 🙂
If I knew, of course, it would be one of the few things I’d keep to myself.
THat is a cute cat.