22 August 2007

Google to reveal new ad content for YouTube

Search engine Google is aiming to make YouTube profitable, with the release of a new advertising format today (Wednesday August 22nd).

It is the first time that those using YouTube will see advertisements on the site's video footage.

Initial advertisers on the new format currently include The Simpsons Movie, Hairspray, BMW and Fox.

The adverts will have a click icon, which will allow users to make them disappear if they do not want them open.

In-video advertising available will be made available to approximately 1,000 YouTube partners, the company hopes, with videos run by Ford Models and Warner Music some of those to benefit from the new system.

"We tested and trialled a number of advertising formats," Eileen Naughton, YouTube's director of media and platforms, told the Guardian.

"We needed to be respectful of the community while offering something rich and engaging as a marketing platform."

She added that the YouTube community polices itself "effectively" and there is not a lot of questionable content on the site.

Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion (883 million pounds) in October 2006. Following the takeover, Google chief executive Eric Schmidt said: "The YouTube team has built an exciting and powerful media platform that complements Google's mission to organise the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

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