Many search marketers -- whether on Google or YouTube -- measure the success of their campaigns in terms of conversions. In those cases, it's not just about clicks or views of your ad, but what the user did next: a sale, a sign-up, a donation, or any other response in which users take action on your website.

We've heard from users, partners, and advertisers using Promoted Videos that they want to be able to incorporate these kinds of conversions into their campaigns so they can "close the loop" and drive traffic to off-YouTube web pages. We've been testing this feature with partners for several months, many of whom have seen great success. So today we're broadly launching this feature as an option for all Promoted Videos, allowing anyone who runs a campaign to specify a "Call-to-Action" for users, helping them generate engaged, well-targeted traffic for their websites.

Adding a Call-to-Action overlay to your video is easy. First, run a campaign to promote your video on YouTube. Then, go to the Video Details page under My Videos and fill out the fields in the section marked "Call-to-Action overlay." All you have to do is include a short headline, ad text, a destination url, and upload an optional image, and the overlay will appear whenever someone watches your video. Clicks on the overlay will be tracked in YouTube Insight.


Now Promoted Videos makes it even easier for potential customers to engage with your brand or products -- especially for those campaigns looking for user responses beyond an increase in views for your video. If you're looking for an easy way to help your video reach a larger audience on YouTube, promote your video today.

Posted by Thai Tran, Product Manager

Only Harry Potter could turn a webcam and printed paper into an interactive, 3D experience on YouTube. OK, he did have a little help from Augmented Reality (AR) technology and the YouTube community.

This week, we partnered with Warner Bros. to launch the first-ever Augmented Reality campaign on YouTube to promote their upcoming release, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Check out the channel to see how Warner Bros. is turning regular reality into an exciting 3D adventure. Don't have a webcam? You can check out the standard experience on their channel, too.

Using printed markers and their home webcams, YouTube users have already created their own potions and entered their customized videos in the film's contest. The Harry Potter channel has already become the #4 most viewed sponsor channel this month.

Augmented Reality is another way that YouTube is bringing engaging, branded experiences to users all over the world. Keep checking back here for more creative examples of how you can put your brand front-and-center on the web's largest video platform.

Posted by Sarah Graham, Sales Engineer & Saina Shelton, Technical Producer

[Cross-posted to the Google News Blog]

We're always looking for ways to enhance the way people consume the news, and we have some improvements planned over the next few months. To get things started, Google News and YouTube are teaming up to help news publishers build a bigger audience for their video content.

Today we are inviting any professional news outlet that is already included as one of the 25,000+ sources in Google News to become an official partner on YouTube and more easily share your news videos on both YouTube and Google News. Not already included in Google News? Just submit your site here for review.

Here are some of the benefits for News publishers who join the YouTube Partner Program:

• Featured Premium Placement. YouTube news partners receive featured placement on the YouTube news page, youtube.com/news, where we feature news videos from partners related to the top news stories on Google News. In addition, if you allow your videos to be embedded, they'll be eligible to appear on Google News, which means additional exposure to all Google News users.

• Cut Costs, Generate Revenue. YouTube offers free hosting for all of your video content and allows you to embed your videos anywhere on the web for free. And as an official YouTube partner, you're eligible to participate in an advertising revenue share program.

• Viewership Analysis. Learn more about the people viewing and interacting with your videos. Use YouTube's Insight tool to easily discover troves of useful demographic information and understand what parts of your videos people liked or didn't like. Geographic information provided can help you focus your marketing efforts.

• Wider Audience. YouTube and Google News have millions of visitors every day searching for the latest news and information. Raise awareness around your brand and reach new audiences by making your video content available on YouTube and Google News. As a YouTube partner, you can maintain your brand's look-and-feel with your own customized YouTube channel, and you can also drive traffic back to your own website.

• Community. At its core, YouTube is a rich social environment that includes thousands of micro-communities. Build one around your content by encouraging people to interact through comments and video responses. Take advantage of YouTube as a social platform.

To get started, apply to the YouTube Partner Program. Don't forget to include the website of your news organization in the "Company Web Site" field on your application form -- this is critical to having your application approved. If you don't already have a YouTube account, make sure to use an email address with the same domain as your website (e.g. johndoe@newswebsite.com) when registering.

Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive an email confirming whether you are included in the YouTube Partner Program. If you are included, you will have the option to participate in revenue sharing and customize your branded channel.

The Google News team will do a separate review and follow-up about including your videos in Google News.

For more details on becoming a YouTube partner, please visit our Partner Benefits page. For a more in-depth explanation of submitting your video content for inclusion on Google News, take a look at our Help Center article: Submitting video and other multimedia content. Please submit any questions through our Help Center.

Posted by Olivia Ma, YouTube News Manager

As you may have seen from this blog post, our new channel design is coming out of beta and will now be the default option for all new channels. We wanted to let you avid readers of Biz Blog know how brand channels will be affected.

If you already have a brand channel, you can switch over to the new design by clicking on the "Upgrade my channel!" link on your Channel Design page. Some channel owners have opted into the new design already (nalts, LisaNova, sxephil, The White House, and University of Phoenix). For now you will be able to revert back to your old design very simply, but please note that we will be automatically transferring all brand channels over to the new design on July 29th 2009.

We will be keeping almost all existing features of brand channels, but we feel the new design offers a better channel experience for viewers, with the new "video navigator" providing an interactive watch experience where your users can browse through and watch multiple videos without leaving the channel. It also helps channel owners customize their channels in a simple manner, choosing exactly which videos and playlists to present to visitors. Finally, as users will spend more time watching videos on channels, we want to make sure that our content partners are able to run advertising against their videos whether on the watch page or on a channel.

Once your channel is transferred, most elements (including gadgets, if you have them) will be ported across automatically. If you have a customized background image, it may need to be re-uploaded and re-arranged to fit the new layout, and some custom colors may need to be tweaked. Please also note that all background images will now be hosted by YouTube and that we have increased the file size to 1MB.

Posted by Brian Glick, Product Manager

When this video was uploaded to YouTube last summer, the office (and the Internet, judging from its 1M+ views) was ablaze with excitement: Kansas State University Professor Michael Wesch had eloquently articulated the "anthropology of YouTube" in a talk he gave at the Library of Congress. The 55-minute presentation outlines the evolution of YouTube and its role in our culture, and comes with a handy "chapter guide" in the description in case you only have a few minutes and want to jump to the part of the talk that specifically interests you.

Not only is it something we plan on showing our grandkids so they can understand what it is we worked on "back in the day," but also we feel it's essential viewing today for anyone who wants a university-caliber overview of this landscape and the must-know personalities and phenomena that shaped it. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did:

Posted by Mia Quagliarello, Editorial/Community Manager

Yesterday morning, I had the opportunity to deliver the keynote address to a room full of marketers, agencies, and publishers at the 2009 OMMA Video conference in New York. I spoke of video's fast growth and its near ubiquity with consumers, and took the time to outline three reasons why the online video ad market is poised for success:

• Scale is near...or here: YouTube is the world’s leading entertainment platform, with more content partners, more HD content, and a bigger audience than any other video site on the web. Millions of people come to YouTube to share and discover hundreds of millions of videos every day, offering brands access to the world's largest focus group. When you consider the power of our video network to deliver five million incremental daily impressions across premium content on sites like Crackle, Current TV, and eHow, we believe it's now possible to create online video buys that truly scale.

• Video is providing a more engaging experience: Every video now has the power to be a full-featured, rich media experience. Boone Oakley's new "website," H&R Block's "Don't Miss It!" game, and Nike's four-season fashion show, are only a few of the more innovative ways advertisers are using video in 2009. We're excited to see what else marketers will think of -- but it will likely use some of the tools under development in our TestTube.

• More measurement and accountability: With the advent of higher-impact units and better measurement, video has the power to be the most accountable medium in the digital space. After all, it combines the sight, sound, and motion of TV with the engagement and interaction of the web. Check out YouTube Insight for a glimpse of what we're doing in the analytics space.

Keep reading the YouTube Biz Blog for more of our thoughts on where the video market's headed, the medium's talked-about trends, and the latest developments at YouTube.

Posted by Eileen Naughton, Director of Media Platforms

Today we started running a small test that will give users more control over how they watch advertising on YouTube. On a small percentage of videos to which we serve in-stream ads (pre-, mid-, and post-rolls), users will have the choice of watching either one Promoted Video at the outset or a few in-stream ads throughout. Users who choose the Promoted Video option will also get to decide which video to watch.

We are constantly testing a wide range of options to find the right advertising format for the right content on YouTube, and we think giving users a say in the process helps our efforts.

Posted by Phil Farhi, Product Manager

YouTube is a vibrant place of open expression, unbridled creativity, and passionate people. It is also the world's largest focus group; post a video and you're likely to hear what people think about it instantly, through comments and video responses.

Any user who takes the time to comment intelligently or positively on your video is likely already a fan of your product -- or a budding evangelist for you. Show that you're listening by commenting back, posting a video response, or subscribing to their channel.

While our Community Guidelines spell it out simply--be respectful--unkind comments can make their way to your video. For unsuspecting users or brands, this can be unsettling.

Here are some tips on dealing with negative comments:

• Don't over-react. Knee-jerk responses like pulling down your videos or turning off comments send the message that you're not open to feedback or that you're not comfortable in this dynamic environment.

• Moderate comments on your video. Comments will not appear on the video's watch page until you approve them. To do this, go to "My Videos" and click on "Edit" for the video you want to moderate. You can also block users as you moderate comments, if you never want to hear from them again.

• Ignore anyone who's rude. You don't want to let them know that they're getting to you -- or even that you've heard them.

A good example comes from comedian Eugene Mirman, who made a video about all of the, ahem, savory comments he received about his new album. (Warning: video contains some colorful language.) By making light of the words, he's showing how harmless they really are.


Posted by Mia Quagliarello, Community Manager

At last night's 13th Annual Webby Awards Gala in New York City, we laughed, we cried laughed, and we cheered when YouTube advertisers like Samsung (for its "Follow Your INSTINCT" campaign) were recognized for their contributions to the online video industry. (Oh, and we were thrilled to be honored for our very own YouTube Live.)

But this marks the first year that YouTube and the Webby Awards have teamed up to promote and celebrate excellence on the web.

Starting today, you can now watch the Webbys on YouTube at the official Webby Awards YouTube Channel.

This channel is a hub where marketers, publishers, and agencies can view and interact with the best videos and campaigns online today. It's truly a front row seat to the best of the Internet, including this gem from last night.

The Webby Awards YouTube Channel is best-in-class, designed by Creativity magazine's 2008 Digital Company of the Year, The Barbarian Group. And for the first time ever, the channel lets users link directly to a particular video within the branded environment.

On the channel, you can design your own unique Webby Awards experience: see all the action from the 13th Annual Webby Awards including red carpet footage, 5-word acceptance speeches, and exclusive gala videos from the best and brightest of the Internet.

So we invite you to check out the channel, bookmark it, share it with your friends and colleagues, and come back often -- new content will be added throughout the year.

And congrats to all the winners! YouTube salutes you.

Posted by Kristin Kovner & Jennifer Hyman, YouTube Business Marketing

With 80+ events, dozens of panels and parties, the second annual InternetWeek NYC kicked off in New York on June 1 and is well underway. Internet Week celebrates New York's thriving Internet industry and the many talented companies, organizations, and innovators creating the future of of online media.

YouTube helped launch the entire week of festivities by co-hosting a party with The Webby Awards and Observer.com at the historic Puck Building in Soho. The event drew a crowd of 450+ of our closest friends and partners, and everyone enjoyed the mesmerizing video stylings of YouTube star Mike Relm.

For those of you who joined us, we hope you had a good time! For those who missed it, check out what the New York Observer, Guest of a Guest, and the Tweeters had to say about the event. And be sure to check out the full Photo Gallery.

Despite the late night, Google Head of Media Platforms Eileen Naughton and I were up bright and early the next morning to attend the Mayor's Office of Film, Theater, and Broadcasting's "Women in Digital Media Breakfast." From Caterina Fake to the women of Gilt Groupe, the room was full of established and up-and-coming media powerhouses, and all were eager to share thoughts on how the City could help Internet companies make their fortunes in the city that never sleeps.

All good things must come to an end, and Internet Week will come to close on June 8th with the 13th Annual Webby Awards. YouTube will be on hand as event sponsor and honoree, but we invite everyone who can't attend to see what they missed on YouTube the following morning at the official Webby Awards YouTube Channel.

Posted by Kristin Kovner, Industry Marketing Manager

Today marks the first post in our new "Five Questions" series. In this regularly occurring YouTube Biz Blog feature, we'll interview marketing executives, agency leaders, and other innovators who are using YouTube in interesting ways to drive their businesses forward.

For our first interview, we chatted with Brad Haley, EVP Marketing for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, who just launched two new YouTube brand channels as part of a campaign that enlisted some of the most popular users on YouTube to make videos about the restaurant's new Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger.

1. Why did you decide to advertise on YouTube?

At Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, our advertising is targeted to 18-34 year old males. We call them “young, hungry guys.” And they are definitely on YouTube.

2. Tell us about this campaign.

This campaign has two goals - the first is to promote the introduction of Carl’s Jr. Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger. What better way to promote a new product than to have some of the hottest YouTube content creators show their millions of subscribers how they would eat the burger? The second goal is to gain traction with our new brand channels for both Carl’s Jr. (www.youtube.com/CarlsJr) and Hardee’s (www.youtube.com/Hardees). We launched them on the same day as the videos from the content creators to help drive traffic, subscribers and interaction with the brands.

3. Why do you think Carl's Jr.'s message is well suited for YouTube user videos?

Our brand message is fun, irreverent and always includes our big delicious burgers. We want fans of our brand to know that our relationship with them doesn’t end at the drive thru, and YouTube provides a great way to share the same kind of fun, edgy content with our fans online.

4. How has your thinking toward "video advertising" evolved?

Online video [advertising] is a completely different ballgame [from TV advertising] and this deal proves that. Broadcast TV advertising isn’t going anywhere immediately. It’s still very effective, despite DVRs. But online, and especially with YouTube, we are able to target our young male customers for a fraction of the cost.

5. What's your favorite YouTube video?

I liked the animated Watchmen video spoofs. And I still laugh out loud every time I see Happy Star save Rob Dyrdek’s life.

Posted by Jesse Haines, Marketing Manager

While the media descends on Los Angeles this week for the gaming industry's annual E3 Expo event, gamers around the world head online for first looks at the latest gaming properties. For marketers, this intense consumer focus on gaming is an opportunity to roll out a campaign for a future blockbuster release or to leverage interest in a platform, console or technology.

Our new E3 Spotlight is an example of a premium content event on YouTube. It provides fans of a specific topic -- in this instance, gaming -- with a convenient place to check out videos from multiple content partners covering the subject matter from a variety of perspectives. With the E3 Spotlight, brands like Windows, Atari, XBox, THQ, and Rockstar Games will be able to reach hardcore gamers searching for E3 reports. It's a unique opportunity to connect with the hottest content from respected gaming industry sources like GameSpot, IGNentertainment, and Machinima in a single media buy. With both a branded destination site and targeted ads running across the site, our sponsors will own the gaming space on YouTube during the biggest gaming event of the year.

Premium content events extend beyond gaming. Check out Best in Jest, a collection of comedy shorts presented by Warner Brothers for the second time this year. Or for a more serious selection of videos, Sun Chips' Live Green program brings together the best environmentally-conscious content on YouTube. From thousands of content partners from mainstream media outlets to special-interest video creators, YouTube speaks to enthusiasts in every interest group. When considering the best ways to reach your target audience or connect your brand with timely events, ask your account representative about how you can create your own premium branded event on YouTube.

Posted by Mark Day, Marketing Programs

We are aware of recent emails where users posing as Google or YouTube support have tried to obtain the log-in credentials of our partners. Security is a top concern at YouTube and we employ techniques that are both proactive and reactive to block these scams. We are taking additional steps to try to prevent something similar from happening in the future. Also, please note that YouTube will never send an unsolicited message asking for a password or other sensitive information by email or through a link.

Posted by The YouTube Team

Today a co-worker sent me one of the more interesting YouTube executions I have seen, and I felt compelled to share it with others. At YouTube we often talk about the creative opportunities online video presents marketers and agencies to tell their story in unique and powerful new ways. But only rarely do we see these creatives fully utilize the flexibility in design that video experiences provide.

Then I came across a "website" from BooneOakley.com and said Hallelujah! Rather than developing a traditional website, BooneOakley leveraged YouTube features like annotations to build an interactive, video representation of a homepage for their business. The creative is made entirely with smart design, video assets, and a black pen. Check it out:



Visit our Help Center for more information on Video Annotations.

Posted by Michael Rucker, Product Marketing Manager

Michael Buckley is one of YouTube's great successes, with over 430,000 subscribers and 150M video views on his channel, WhattheBuckShow.

A few weeks ago we asked our users and partners to submit and vote for questions for Mr. Buckley himself. Over 100 people participated by asking 84 questions and voting 1,623 times. And while we would have loved if Michael could have answered every question, he did manage to answer the top 10 questions, along with a few more that he hand-selected.

Buckley covers topics ranging from how to make money on YouTube to revealing his secrets for getting your videos noticed. It's an informative yet entertaining inside look into making it on YouTube. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.



Posted by Curtis Lee, Product Marketing Manager