Meet Wranglerstar: Your December On The Rise featured partner

9:00:00 AM Add Comment
Congratulations to Cody Crone of Wranglerstar, our featured “On The Rise” partner for this month. You’ll see his channel and videos in the spotlight on the On The Rise homepage and the YouTube Spotlight channel today.

Cody is a YouTube partner who left his "old city life" behind to explore the great outdoors. His channel also features his family and offers laughs along the way as he gives great advice to new wranglers. From T-shirts to axes, you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for from a channel dedicated to country living. You can find out what a day in Cody’s life looks like, how you can live a sustainable lifestyle and learn all about the best tools to use.

 

Here are a few words from Cody:
In 2010 we made the decision to leave behind our comfortable, urban lifestyle in exchange for a primitive homestead in the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest. In the beginning, YouTube was a convenient way for us to share our adventure with friends and family. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that such a diverse and engaging community would take an interest in our channel. I've always said that the Wranglerstar channel has the best subscribers on YouTube. We are honored and humbled to have been chosen as YouTube’s “On The Rise” partner for December 2013. Thank you--we are truly blessed. We appreciate the opportunity YouTube has provided for us to live and share our modern homesteading dream.

If you’ve enjoyed this monthly blog series and are interested in learning more or participating, we encourage you to visit our On The Rise homepage. You can check out all of our past featured partners on the Featured Partners tab, or nominate a YouTube partner to be considered for the program on the Nominate tab. Feel free to submit nominations for your own channel, or for channels you follow that you think deserve more attention or could be the next YouTube sensation. We’ll continue to feature promising partners who drive YouTube watch time, have fewer than 100,000 subscribers, and produce engaging content on a regular basis.

Christine Wang and Kat Sahr, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “CELL PHONE CRASHING at the AIRPORT!”

Surprise! YouTube is now on Roku

9:00:00 AM Add Comment
Who doesn’t love a good surprise? Probably most of the victims of our most watched Pranks of 2013. But as for the rest of you, we’ve got one more surprise for you in 2013: we’re bringing you the YouTube app (or “channel” in Roku-speak) today on the Roku 3 in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Republic of Ireland.


This surprise is packed with features like:
  • HD streaming: Finally see how intense Red Bull’s videos look on your TV.
  • “Send to TV”: Control YouTube on Roku from that sick new phone you just got, turning your TV into your personal JumboTron. Just connect your device to the same Wi-Fi as your Roku.
  • Your subscriptions on TV: Sign in to YouTube and easily get your subscribed channels on your TV like PTXOfficial.
Check out their video to learn more and download the YouTube channel for Roku today.




Sarah Ali, Product Manager, recently watched, “YouTube Rewind: What Does 2013 Say?”

YouTube Rewind: What you watched in 2013

12:01:00 AM Add Comment
A Norwegian Army Dance Troupe. An Epic Split. The Fox. And a Rap Battle with an 18th century Austrian composer.

As 2013 comes to a close, these are some of the videos, channels and moments that shaped our year. While each annual list is unpredictable (what's up, Mr. Miley Cyrus impersonator), trending videos just get bigger each year. And with 80 percent of all views on YouTube coming from outside the U.S., the global community is driving pop culture unlike ever before.

You watched The Fox more than 275 million times, making it the top trending video of 2013. You also made it a top searched Halloween costume, and you’ll maybe even read it as a children’s book. You turned out in record-setting numbers to see PSY’s post-"Gangnam Style" performance. You even made more “Harlem Shake” videos than there are people in Manhattan (1.7 million videos if you’re counting).

To celebrate all these moments, more than 60 top creators on YouTube got together and made a little video for everyone:



Here are the top trending and music videos for 2013:

Top Trending Videos for 2013
1. Ylvis - "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" by tvnorge
2. "Harlem Shake (original army edition)" by kennethaakonsen
3. "How Animals Eat Their Food" | MisterEpicMann by MisterEpicMann
4. "Miley Cyrus - Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version)" by SteveKardynal
5. "baby&me / the new evian film" by EvianBabies
6. Volvo Trucks - "The Epic Split feat. Van Damme" by VolvoTrucks
7. "YOLO (feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar)" by thelonelyisland
8. "Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise" by CarrieNYC
9. "THE NFL : A Bad Lip Reading" by BadLipReading
10. "Mozart vs Skrillex. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 2" by ERB

Top Music Videos for 2013
1. PSY - "GENTLEMAN M/V" by officialpsy
2. Miley Cyrus - "Wrecking Ball" by MileyCyrusVEVO
3. Miley Cyrus - "We Can't Stop" by MileyCyrusVEVO
4. Katy Perry - "Roar (Official)" by KatyPerryVEVO
5. P!nk - "Just Give Me A Reason ft. Nate Ruess" by PinkVEVO
6. Robin Thicke - "Blurred Lines ft. T.I., Pharrell" by RobinThickeVEVO
7. Rihanna - "Stay ft. Mikky Ekko" by RihannaVEVO
8. Naughty Boy - "La La La ft. Sam Smith" by NaughtyBoyVEVO
9. Selena Gomez - "Come & Get It" by SelenaGomezVEVO
10. Avicii - "Wake Me Up (Official Video)" by AviciiOfficialVEVO
... see even more top music videos.

Check out the YouTube Rewind 2013 channel for even more top lists of the year from around the world, and stay tuned at Google.com/zeitgeist next week for Google's annual look at the people, places and events that captured the world's attention this year.

Kevin Allocca, Head of Culture and Trends, recently watched “Making of YouTube Rewind: What Does 2013 Say?”

Help us select December’s 'On The Rise' partner!

9:00:00 AM Add Comment
On The Rise is a monthly program where we introduce four YouTube partners whose channels drive significant watch time but haven’t yet reached the 100,000 subscriber mark. Thanks to your help, we’ve identified four channels this month who are getting close to reaching that threshold.

You can help these partners get even closer to reaching that 100,000 subscriber milestone. Check out their videos below, vote for your favorite here, and one of these candidates will have the opportunity to be featured across YouTube later this month. In addition to your votes, each channel will be evaluated on criteria such as viewer engagement and channel optimization techniques to decide which partner we’ll feature.

In past months, featured On The Rise partners like Buzz60 and Thundermist Lures have gained subscribers and seen their watch time grow due in large part to your support. This month’s poll will be open until December 12, 5 p.m. PT, so don’t forget to vote for your favorite channel. Check back to see which channel will be featured on December 30.

wranglerstar
Ever think about changing your urban lifestyle and moving to the mountains to start homesteading? If you’re not ready to take the plunge, you can follow Cody and his family’s adventures living in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. They moved from the city in 2010 and have videos on everything from composting to building a log cabin.

 

CityLeagueHoopsTV
Highlighting the top prep basketball players with an emphasis on central Ohio, videographer and curator Ty covers games, tournaments and events. If you’re interested in high-school-level basketball, you should know this channel.

 

OurCrib
Brian and Carly started a vlog channel to capture their crazy lives as they juggle being professionals and parents to little Eliana and their dog Peanut. Become a “Cribster” and check out their channel for a look into their “Crib.”

 

pattyshukla
If you’re looking for fun and educational music videos to entertain your kids, come on over to Patty’s channel. She has children’s songs in a variety of different music styles and even has some videos in sign language and Spanish.

 

If you’re interested in participating or have suggestions for partners you think should be featured, we encourage you to visit our On The Rise homepage. You can check out all of our past featured partners on the Featured Partners tab, or nominate a YouTube partner to be considered for the program on the Nominate tab. Feel free to submit nominations for your own channel, or for channels you follow that you think deserve more attention or could be the next YouTube sensation. We’ll continue to feature promising partners who drive YouTube watch time, have fewer than 100,000 subscribers, and produce engaging content on a regular basis.

Devon Storbeck and Christine Wang, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “The Time You Have (In JellyBeans).”

Introducing Buzz60, our November On The Rise featured partner

10:00:00 AM Add Comment
Congratulations to the team over at Buzz60, the channel featured as our “On The Rise” partner this November. The channel and some of their best videos are featured today on our On The Rise homepage as well as the YouTube spotlight channel today.

The small team of journalists, reporters, producers, writers, editors and directors who make up Buzz60 know that time is precious in today’s world. Their videos each bring you 60 seconds on topics people are currently talking about--all with a fun and fresh perspective. Whether it’s celebrity news about a real-life Ken and Barbie encounter, news about a street-legal electric Tron "lightcycle," or a report on a couple who took “Breaking Bad”-themed engagement photos, you’ll find these news bites relevant and entertaining. This small team works at a fast pace, so you’ll be able to come back daily for another dose of the day’s buzz.

 

Here are a few words from Buzz60:
Every day we work hard to deliver the tastiest video snacks that are timely, quirky, a little sassy and always smart. Our news segments are made specifically for our fast-paced world, with an edge and never boring. From a dead cat turned helicopter to Miley’s latest antics, our newsroom loves scouring the web, social media and water cooler convos to find and deliver stories that you’ll want to share with your friends and family. Our team is honored to be YouTube’s November 2013 On the Rise Channel and we have you, our fans and subscribers, to thank. Buzz60 -- Now you know, pass it on.

If you’ve enjoyed this monthly blog series and are interested in learning more or participating, we encourage you to visit our On The Rise homepage. You can check out all of our past featured partners on the Featured Partners tab, or nominate a YouTube partner to be considered for the program on the Nominate tab. Feel free to submit nominations for your own channel, or for channels you follow that you think deserve more attention or could be the next YouTube sensation. We’ll continue to feature promising partners who drive YouTube watch time, have fewer than 100,000 subscribers, and produce engaging content on a regular basis.

Christine Wang and Devon Storbeck, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “The First Walk on the Ice.”

Announcing TED’s 2014 Ads Worth Spreading

1:00:00 PM Add Comment
What makes a good ad? In some cases, it’s a striking image. In others, a funny premise. There’s no formula, but most memorable ads all have something in common: they tell a story worth sharing. 

Sharing is at the heart of the YouTube experience. From Metro Trains’ Dumb Ways to Die and TNT’s Dramatic Surprise to Chipotle combining powers with Willie Nelson, many of the most popular videos on YouTube are from brands that understand the power of great storytelling and creating content people choose to watch and share.

To recognize videos like these, YouTube is once again teaming up with TED’s Ads Worth Spreading initiative to celebrate the year’s most creative and notable ads. The award is given to the brands and agencies creating innovative ads that people can’t stop sharing.

Thirty of the most creative minds in the ad world, like those behind the videos above, along with TED speakers including Sarah Kay and Alanna Shaikh, will help find and nominate 2013’s most noteworthy ads. Winners will be announced during the annual TED conference in March 2014 (for more information, check out the full list of nomination teams and advocates).

As part of our involvement, we’ll add a viewer’s choice component to the nominated videos. We’ll rank the most popular videos based on actual YouTube views using the methodology behind our YouTube Ads Leaderboard, which publishes the most watched and shared ads on YouTube each month.

For insights into what makes an ad worth spreading, check out this article and interview video. Or just watch the playlist of last year’s winning ads. Combined, these ads have been viewed more than 140 million times on YouTube.



Tara Levy, Managing Director of Ads Marketing for Google and YouTube, recently watched “Volvo Trucks - The Epic Split feat. Van Damme (Live Test 6).”

YouTube is on Xbox One

12:35:00 PM Add Comment

Love YouTube? Love Xbox? You can now watch your favorite videos and channels with the YouTube app for Xbox One. Check out videos in 1080p glory (Slip and Slide LAUNCH RAMP anyone?), catch the latest videos from your subscriptions like Polaris, or see trending videos from categories like Music and Sports.

The YouTube app for Xbox One also makes it easier to find and watch whatever you want:
  • Voice - Control the app just by saying "YouTube" wherever you are in the app. Commands like play, pause, and fast forward will instantly pop up on screen.
  • Gesture - Grab the screen to scroll through videos, and use your hand to pick which one you want to watch.














Need something to keep you going through these last few hours before Xbox One arrives? Check out all the game trailers you’ll play soon, or any of the hundreds of thousands of unboxing videos already on YouTube.

Emmanuel Saint-Loubert-Bié, Engineering Manager, and Luke Bayes, Staff Web Developer, recently watched “Stereotypes: Madden.”

Meet your November “On The Rise” nominees!

9:00:00 AM Add Comment
In our monthly On The Rise program, we identify four partners whose channels drive significant YouTube watch time but haven’t yet reached the 100,000 subscriber mark. This month, with your help, we’re sharing with you four dedicated partners who are getting quite close to hitting that milestone so you can help give them a chance to jumpstart their audience development and channel growth. The nominees this November are on a strong trajectory, building watch time and subscribers through the engaging bowling, music, news, and scrapbooking videos they showcase on their respective channels. 

Here’s where you come in--you actually have the chance to help push these partners even further on YouTube. Review their videos below, vote for your favorite here, and one of these candidates will have the opportunity to be featured across YouTube later this month. In addition to your votes, each channel will be evaluated on criteria such as viewer engagement and channel optimization techniques to decide which partner we’ll feature.

In past months, featured On The Rise partners like StanWinstonSchool and thundermistlures have gained many subscribers and seen their careers take off, in large part due to your support. This month’s poll will be open until November 14, 5 p.m. PT, so don’t forget to vote for your favorite channel. Check back to see which channel will be featured on November 30.

BowlTV
Struggling to get a bowling score over 100? The United States Bowling Congress (USBC) has almost 600 videos dedicated to coaching tips, live events, and interviews to help improve your game.

 

samandthewomp
This band hails from the U.K. and if you don’t already know what womping is, they’ll teach you. The trio just released their new single, "Ravo," which you can preview below.

 

Buzz60
You’re busy, and the Buzz60 team knows you may not always have time to watch the morning news or crack open the paper. Their channel is chock-full of newsy video “snacks” that you can consume quickly and share easily.

   

AboveRubiesStudio
The holidays are fast approaching and what better way to capture those special moments than with a scrapbook. Megan shows you how to use different techniques and tools to create memorable works of art.

 

If you’re interested in participating or have suggestions for partners you think should be featured, we encourage you to visit our On The Rise homepage. You can check out all of our past featured partners on the Featured Partners tab, or nominate a YouTube partner to be considered for the program on the Nominate tab. Feel free to submit nominations for your own channel, or for channels you follow that you think deserve more attention or could be the next YouTube sensation. We’ll continue to feature promising partners who drive YouTube watch time, have fewer than 100,000 subscribers, and produce engaging content on a regular basis.

Devon Storbeck and Christine Wang, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “YouTube Challenge - I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy 2013.”

Turning comments into conversations that matter to you

12:00:00 PM Add Comment
Let’s say you’re enjoying Lindsey Stirling or Epic Rap Battles’ latest video and want to join in the conversation. Would you rather see comments from people you care about (including Lindsey or ERB themselves), or just whoever in the world was last to post?

We told you recently that better commenting is coming to YouTube. Starting this week, when you’re watching a video on YouTube, you’ll see comments sorted by people you care about first. If you post videos on your channel, you also have more tools to moderate welcome and unwelcome conversations. This way, YouTube comments will become conversations that matter to you.

Here’s more detail about the new YouTube comments powered by Google+:
  • Comments you care about move to the top: You’ll see posts at the top of the list from the video’s creator, popular personalities, engaged discussions about the video, and people in your Google+ Circles. You can still see the most recent comments by switching from “Top Comments” to “Newest First.”
  • Join the conversation publicly or privately: You can choose to start a conversation so that it is seen by everyone, only people in your Circles, or just your bestie. Like Gmail, replies are threaded so you can easily follow conversations.
  • Easily moderate comments: If you also post videos on your channel, you’ll have new tools to review comments before they’re posted, block certain words or save time by auto-approving comments from certain fans.
If you're like the majority of people commenting on YouTube, you’ve already connected your account to a Google+ profile or page and can start commenting now. If you haven’t connected yet, you can do it here or learn more here. Remember, you’re in control of how you're seen publicly on YouTube, whether that’s keeping your current YouTube channel name, using your own name, or creating a new one.



Nundu Janakiram, Product Manager, and Yonatan Zunger, Principal Engineer, recently watched “Mexican Standoff (ft. Key & Peele).”

YouTube announces YouTube Music Award winners

9:00:00 PM Add Comment
New York, NY: On Sunday, November 3 at Pier 36 in New York City, YouTube hosted the inaugural YouTube Music Awards, a celebration of music honoring the artists and songs that YouTube fans have turned into global hits over the past year. Unlike traditional award shows, this event presented live performances by top artists, alongside some of YouTube’s biggest stars, including Arcade Fire, Avicii, CDZA, Earl Sweatshirt, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Lindsey Stirling, M.I.A., Tyler, The Creator and Walk off the Earth.

Hosted by Jason Schwartzman and Reggie Watts and executive produced by VICE Media and Sunset Lane Entertainment, the event was lead by creative director Spike Jonze in collaboration with co-creative director Chris Milk, and directors Damien Kulash, Fafi, James Larese, Joe Sabia, Tyler the Creator, and Ray Tintori. The event was presented in partnership with Kia Motors Corporation.

In the run up to the YouTube Music Awards, four music events were also streamed from around the world on YouTube from Seoul, Moscow, London and Rio.

Modern day music fans from across the globe spoke loud and clear, casting winning votes for artists in the following categories:

YOUTUBE MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS LIST*

Video of the Year: Girls' Generation - I Got A Boy
Recognizes this year’s biggest videos, based on what you watched, shared, liked and commented on.

Artist of the Year: Eminem
Honors the biggest acts of the last year on YouTube, based on total number of views, likes, shares, comments and subscribers.

Response of the Year: Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix - Radioactive
Recognizes the best fan remixes, covers or parodies, based on your views, likes, shares and comments.

YouTube Phenomenon: Taylor Swift - I Knew You Were Trouble
Recognizes the YouTube videos that inspired the biggest number of fan responses.

YouTube Breakthrough: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Recognizes the biggest breakout acts on YouTube, based on artists with the highest growth in views and subscribers over the past year.

Innovation of the Year: DeStorm - See Me Standing
Recognizes some of the most unique concepts and creators in music videos on YouTube this year.

*Nominations for the YouTube Music Awards were announced on October 21, 2013, and based on YouTube data over the last 12 months from September 2012, with nominees representing the artists and videos with the highest levels of YouTube fan engagement, including views, likes, shares, comments, and subscriptions. Fans were able to vote from October 21 through the start of the Awards by sharing official YTMA nomination videos across Google+, Twitter and Facebook.