Growing Demand Blog

Last week YouTube announced their original channels initiative, with a reported 100+ new channels launching in the year ahead, and we are happy to say we are a part of this exciting new era of media.

When we formed Demand Media in 2006, we saw the opportunity to harness the attributes that were unique to the Internet to build an entirely new type of media business, just as cable television had understood how to use new distribution methods to grow their industry 30 years earlier.

In the last five years we’ve become one of the world’s most successful creators of made-for-the-Web programming, publishing content across dozens of categories and generating billions (and growing) of views.

From the beginning, YouTube was a core part of our strategy.  We’ve always valued the distribution, monetization, analytics, brand extension and other capabilities that the YouTube platform provides. We embraced their platform early – and in the process have become a top 5 network on YouTube, according to comScore.

Being an early innovator with YouTube has provided us front-row seats to the biggest and most exciting game in video today.  And that game just got bigger – WAY bigger. 

We are thrilled to be partnering with YouTube on multiple channels, including eHow Home, eHow Pets & Animals, and LIVESTRONG. Our channels will feature daily original programming starring well-known talent from traditional media, as well as emerging YouTube talent.

As we embark on this exciting new era with YouTube, it’s worth a look back at what we have learned from them over the last five years:

Embrace the audience: Content producers crave engagement with audiences.  That happens million of times a day on the pages of YouTube and provides immediate feedback in a way that is nearly impossible in traditional media.  

Embrace the platform: Media companies of the future must embrace platforms and creative ecosystems. Over the past five years, the YouTube platform has evolved dramatically and these advancements have been key to our success and the success of our creative talent.

Embrace the data: Data and insights are core to the Demand Media model, and YouTube provides detailed reporting, which we use to guide our entire process.  From casting to creative development to post-production, the lessons we learned from our billions of YouTube views have made us smarter about meeting the needs of our audiences.  

Embrace creative talent: Just as cable television helped launch the careers of many mainstream celebrities, the YouTube platform has helped us connect with a new generation of authentic and engaging talent.  

Despite what you may read in the days ahead, today’s announcement is not simply about the “future of cable,” it is about something entirely new, disruptive and exciting.  Today we congratulate YouTube on making their bold vision a reality, and we look forward to building the future of media with them.