Can you remember a time without YouTube? No, neither can I!

The online video monster site is celebrating its fifth birthday this week! Those five years have flown by quickly haven’t they? The site which was created to allow “anyone with a video camera and an internet connection…to share a story with the world” has gone from strength to strength since its launch in February 2005.  YouTube proved an instant hit with a generation which has sparked the user generated content phenomenon.

For people looking to find a random TV clip from yesteryear, YouTube is the first stop. More than 16.9 million users accessed the site last month – that’s about 43% of Britain’s internet users. Some people use it as a shameless self-promotion platform, while others use to share funny clips with the world.

But despite the global appeal and mass fans, the site has yet to make any real money or a profit.

“How can that be?”, I hear you yell. Well, it’s all down to advertising and the fact that YouTube…well, haven’t really been that bothered about it in recent years. All that could be about to change though.

It’s recently signed major contracts with broadcasters such as BBC, Channel 4, Disney Media and TimeWarner. This will allow the site to screen quality programmes, whilst earning the site generous revenue shares in the process. Additionally, they’ll also allow YouTube to keep control of their own advertising sales, which could prove to be the key to their success.

After 2009 proved to be the biggest year for online video content yet, it seems 2010 could be the year that YouTube becomes a commercial success, both in terms of profit and usage! Happy Birthday YouTube!

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