The challenge for YouTube to make some money from the millions of viewers it gets each month continues, but a new deal with independent film studio Lionsgate could help at least a little bit.
It was revealed just yesterday that YouTube nabbed about 35% of the total videos viewed online in the US during May, so there’s certainly the viewers there to make revenue possible.
Lionsgate Branded YouTube Channel
The latest deal, announced by Google CEO Eric Schmidt at a industry conference, sees clips from Lionsgate movies appearing on a branded video channel on the site.
Pre-roll adverts will appear alongside the clips, and Google will share the revenue with the studio. Pre-roll and post-roll adverts are thought to be being trialled on certain clips on the site.
The Future Of YouTube?
This is likely to just be the first of many such deals made between YouTube and media companies. Each one is likely to see adverts appear on pre-vetted video clips, with some kind of revenue share in place.
While deals such as this one aren’t going to make YouTube a fortune, and won’t really be the best way to utilise the massive market-share it currently enjoys, they do at least signal an intention to move towards making the site a more profitable venture for Google.
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