In case it has escaped your attention, there is actually a section on your YouTube page that allows you to watch Hollywood movies. Well, of course, like any good digital citizen, you will have to pay for it to watch it. But now it looks like the video-sharing giant is offering some of these movies for free if you’re willing to sit through some brand advertisements in between. This may signal the start of another revenue stream for YouTube and at the same time, offer ad-supported content for content-hungry users.
According to Rohit Dhawan, the director of product management over at YouTube, they saw that beyond just paid movies, there was also a demand for ad-supported content. At the same time, this was also an opportunity to offer advertisers premium content to showcase their video ads, beyond just the normal channels and original content that they were previously being placed in.
There may even be opportunities for advertisers to “sponsor” specific movies or do exclusive screenings and also give users complementary views. As of now, Google is not disclosing what deals they have struck with movie studios or details about their revenue sharing. What we do know is that the ads being served in these movies are from its current pool of advertisers.
Currently, there are only around 100 movies that are being offered for free and with ad support. While it’s mostly some forgettable Hollywood movies, there are also blockbuster classics like The Terminator and Rocky. The more consumer traction they get, the quality of the movies being offered may also improve. And in terms of advertisers on board, we’ll see more of them when they see that there are millions or billions streaming such content.
While YouTube has also been developing original content where ads also get served, Hollywood blockbusters will probably have more appeal both for users and advertisers. Head on over to the YouTube Movies section to check out which they are offering for free. However, it’s not yet available in all territories.
VIA: Ad Age
