Tag Archives: background

YouTube Makes Rare Design Update

Just a Google is about to roll out a new design for G-mail, YouTube’s “Panda” is giving viewers a more modern, intuitive but “MySpace-like” design according to CNet’s Eric Smalley.

What do you think? Most of YouTube’s iterations have been subtle adjustments to functionality, social features and emphasis (what appears on homepage, category pages and “related videos,” all changes that are easier to overlook but have tremendous impact on the videos we view and the average “videos viewed per user session.” YouTube’s revenue can grow significantly if it keeps “grazers” around just a wee bit longer, especially if they commence a view of a well monetized video.

This change, however, appears far more visible and will certainly attract the typical reaction to change, not unlike the backlash when YouTube changed it’s channel designs in 2008.

Since YouTube sees itself as a platform not a website or content owner, I’d predict it to soon enable “crowd-sourced custom designs” like iGoogle. Creators, brands and partners would likely be thrilled to pack the non-functioning areas with aesthetics.

I quite like the idea of my little cartoon avatar head peeking from behind players, but I imagine the “iJustine YouTube Skin” would be a wee bit more popular. Don’t worry kids. When it comes out I’ll link to it here.

http://m.cnet.com/Article.rbml?nid=20077675&cid=null&bcid=&bid=-93

Another Great Site for Free, Royalty Free Music

The online-video community is in constant need for good, royalty free music that doesn’t cost money. Most of us don’t make enough on our videos to warrant paying a lot. And we’re all sick of the canned stuff that comes with the editing software.

For a while, Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com had filled that void. Now the musician has helped his friend, Jonathon Roberts serve the same need. If you use the New Yorker’s music in your video, simply credit him and consider a modest $5 Paypal donation. As an example, here’s a clip we made (Squirting Water Boats) yesterday on our first day of vacation. The song is called Ragtime, and it brings an otherwise boring video to life.

Thanks to these guys for helping make online videos more interesting. It will only be a matter of time before Jonathon’s clips are pervasive as Kevin’s.