YouTube - Giving the People what They Want

Despite the overall impression of YouTube as the world’s leading source of cat videos (which it undoubtedly is) – the most popular content on YouTube is NOT UGC.  (note that this does not necessarily mean what is most viewed by overall category)
Take a look at this chart from Silicon Alley Insider.
Of the top 100 content most-viewed on a daily basis 78% is either Partner content or Pirated pro-content.  Only 17% is UGC.


This certainly meshes well with the aggressive push for content partnerships that we’ve seen from Google.   That push extends both into studio deals as well as plays for niche content from such varied sources as Univision, Bollywood, …
YouTube has also recently launched new initiatives with Filmmakers Wanted, and Musicians Wanted, which reach out to artists by providing a way for them to easily create custom homepages or channels and share in ad revenues generated by their content.
Their partnership with Sony and Universal Music Group on Vevo vaulted the neophyte site into a top 10 debut in streaming video sites.  Note that this was aided by the fact that Vevo content which was initiated from YouTube was counted as Vevo traffic.
Obviously YouTube is not resting on their laurels as the undisputed leader of online video and is continuing to look for ways to increase the value of the content that they offer up – both in the breadth of the offering and the quality.