Straight from the horse’s mouth – YouTube recently confirmed the launch of its paid Channels offering. As of May 9th, a select group of brands were invited to participate in a pilot program that gives YouTube subscribers access to uploaded video content for the nominal price of 99 cents per month. This is good news for YouTube users who want to watch full episodes of their favorite shows and view paid content on multiple devices, but it’s even better news for marketers that want to increase their reach and brand engagement.
Sesame Street, National Geographic Kids and UFC are three major brands that have already opted in to paid subscription Channels as part of the trial program, but they will soon be joined by others. YouTube plans to open the opportunity to other qualifying partners.
Brafton recently explained that subscription-based YouTube Channels can serve as additional touch points for brands’ video marketing strategies. United States consumers have a demonstrated a great proclivity for video content, watching more than 39.3 billion videos online in March 2013, according to comScore’s Video Metrix data. If marketers determine which paid channels appeal to their target demographics, they can develop engaging video content that captivates viewers’ attention and directs them back to brands’ landing pages.
