What better way to reach millions of turned-on and tuned-in geeks than to make guest appearances in videos of more than a dozen of the best-known YouTube channels? Clever old Weezer.

YouTube Inspired

Weezer have a strong connection to YouTube, in the same way OK Go do. Both bands have used YouTube to grow their audiences and build on their existing fanbase.

OK Go saw their popularity explode when their fantastic music video for Here It Goes Again went viral. And they’ve since tried to manufacture a repeat of that first organic success. Weezer, meanwhile, featured a host of YouTube stars in its music video for Pork and Beans back in 2008.

However, Weezer’s new effort, which the band itself is calling “the YouTube Invasion,” goes beyond anything we’ve seen before. It’s a truly mammoth viral video advertising effort in order to promote new album Hurley.

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After years of rumors and promises which were never quite fulfilled, YouTube is finally rolling out a live streaming platform. However, it’s currently just a two-day test, and even if it does get the go-ahead it’ll likely still only be limited to YouTube partners. At least for the foreseeable future.

Live Streaming

Live streaming video is an increasingly popular part of the online video sector. Sites such as Livestream, Ustream, and Justin.tv have given everyone the opportunity to effectively run their own television channel.

However, many people use the sites to (re)broadcast content on cable channels, such as pay-per-view MMA fights. In other words, piracy is rampant on live streaming sites, and that is one of the reasons why they are so popular at this point in time.

Which is probably why YouTube has resisted its natural urge to offer its own live streaming platform. Until now.

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Move over Old Spice, Tippex has taken on the viral video advertising mantle. And while the new campaign doesn’t use social networking as the source of inspiration, it uses YouTube to its full potential.

Viral Video Advertising

Companies are becoming increasingly keen on using video technology and the viral nature of the Web to sell their products.

Viral video has the power to spread across the Internet at a rate of knots, with embeds and linking via social networking sites disseminating the message to all corners of the Web.

Some firms have taken a subtle approach, hiding the brand or product away somewhere. Others, meanwhile, have taken the more direct approach, putting the company name or product center stage.

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It’s widely believed that YouTube has yet to make a profit. But 2010 could see it making money for the first time in its history thanks to clever advertising and improved relationships with copyright owners.

YouTube

YouTube is now five years old, and has enjoyed quite a history in that short space of time.

It was approaching profitability before Google swooped into acquire the site for $1.65 billion, and the search giant has focused its attention on setting the site on a new path with longterm goals in mind rather than chasing short term profits.

Those longterm goals may be about to pay off as an improved advertising setup combines with an increasing userbase to put the site in the black for the first time.

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Google is reportedly in talks with the major Hollywood movie studios in order to secure content for its video rentals store. With Google TV on its way, this could bring Google in direct head-to-head battle with Apple and its new Apple iTV.

YouTube Video Rentals

YouTube has been offering video rentals since the beginning of the year, with offerings from the Sundance Film Festival the first to go live. The trial was deemed a success, and YouTube then opened the store for business on a permanent basis.

In May, YouTube began forging ahead with its plans to increase its video rental offerings, with content partners given the opportunity to sell their professionally-produced content.

Now, Google has even bigger plans.

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YouTube is responsible for making some people very wealthy, or at least giving them the means to give up their day job. But how easy would it be to join the select band who make over $100,000 a year from their videos?

YouTube Fame

YouTube has made many people famous over the years since its launch. Some have been unwilling stars made famous by someone else uploading a video clip of them doing something which has spread across the Web. While others have made names for themselves by seizing an opportunity.

However, not all of these YouTube stars have actually made any money out of it. In fact, most probably haven’t seen a penny. But there are a select band of people making serious money from the videos they upload to YouTube.

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YouTube is now offering U.K. users the chance to watch hundreds of free movies, bringing the offering it rolled out in the U.S. last year across the Atlantic. Sure, the initial offerings aren’t exactly Hollywood A-list, but still.

YouTube Widens Net

YouTube has evolved by a vast amount since its early days. Copyright infringement has pretty much been eradicated, and the amount and variety of content that can be viewed on the site has increased exponentially.

Not content with being the ubiquitous destination for UGC, YouTube has also started offering professional content. There are now sections dedicated to TV shows, music videos, and movies.

The ‘Movies’ section has now made it to the U.K., with a number of deals allowing the site to offer a good number of free feature films.

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