Profile: YouTube

YouTube might seem self-explanatory, being that the video-sharing site is consistently the number one online video platform on the Web.  Regardless, we could all use some schooling in host websites. 

History
Established in a garage in Menlo Park, Calif. in 2005, YouTube has become the leader in online video.  The sharing site was founded by the young entrepreneurs Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, although CEOs Chen and Hurley later would become the face of the company during the key acquisition deal by search engine giant Google in November 2006.

With a target base of users between the ages 18-55, YouTube – as the name implies – promotes a self-indulgent message to “Broadcast Yourself.”  YouTube, however, has evolved into the platform of choice for various media outlets, branching out into a dedicated Oprah channel and, more recently, traditional media like the Chicago Tribune.  YouTube also has hosted two presidential debates for the 2008 election.  It is currently expanding internationally, with versions available in Canada, Germany, and Russia that launched last month.

Optimal Video Format
YouTube strongly recommends all videos be uploaded using the following settings for maximum quality:
-MPEG-4 (Divx, Xvid, SVQ3) format
-640x480 resolution (* most updated recommendation)
- MP3 audio 30 frames per second

Users won’t be able to post videos longer than 10 minutes.  There is no cap on how many videos can be posted.

EULA
The free hosting site has a few restrictions concerning user rights.  YouTube strictly prohibits pornography and nudity, which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on your stance on creative control.  Contributors must be 18 years-old or older or have legal parental or guardian content for children 13 and older.  YouTube also strictly prohibits commercial use of the site to promote your business; infringers will have their content pulled from the website.

While the producer has ownership rights, YouTube has a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use and distribute the content; that means that if your video gains popularity the way the Leave Britney Alone did, late-night television shows can play the clip without paying you. 

Pros / Cons
YouTube allows for fast uploading, but resolution quality is limited; it’s the double-edged sword of YouTube.  

Some advantageous features to the site are video embedding available for blogs and privacy settings to control audience view.  Producers can also build an audience with a subscription feed to allow viewers to track clips added by a particular contributor or through an community-based comments section.  The number of comments a video gets, in part, helps which clips are selected for the Featured Videos section on the home page.  The Featured Videos section is also based on ratings, sharing, although users can send video the editorial team for review.

Because of its popularity, plenty of multi-media products are compatible with YouTube for direct upload and/or playback:

-Pure Digital Flip Ultra (Specs, Recent News, $149.99) 

-Sony Net Sharing Cam NSC-GC1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $199.00)

-Casio Exilim EX-S880 (Specs, Recent News)

-Casio Exilim EX-Z77 (Specs, Recent News)
-LG Mobile (Review)

-Nokia N95 Mobile (Review, Specs, $549.00)

-Apple iPhone (Review, Specs, Recent News, $399.00)

-Apple TV

-Logitech QuickCam Software

What is revolutionary about the site isn’t its site specification.  YouTube won’t offer the best resolution or the best storage.  Instead, it will leave a lasting impression for its business model and worldwide popularity that launched contributors into fame.   If you make it big on YouTube, you’ll make it big anywhere.

Read our How-to: YouTube for a quick tip to export a YouTube video less than 100 MB on a PC.