YouTube’s movie rentals trial brought in just over $10,000. But rather than the failure some are describing it as, this is surely a big enough success to warrant a larger roll-out of the service in the future. But as usual, content is key.
YouTube Trials Rentals
YouTube has now officially entered the market for movie rentals, having offered movies from the Sundance Film Festival for $3.99 apiece for the ten days that the festival lasted.
YouTube has had a relationship with independent filmmakers for a while now, as it offers another opportunity for them to get their work out there and in the eye-line of a bigger audience. And audiences don’t come much bigger than YouTube’s.
The trial run has now ended and the results are in.
Movie Rentals Trial Results
According to the New York Times, YouTube’s movie rentals trial ended with the company bringing in $10,709.16 in revenue. The five films combined were bought and viewed a total of 2,684 times.
This breaks down further into the results for the five films that were initially offered. The Cove was watched 1,103 times; One Too Many Mornings, 340; Homewrecker, 355 times; Children of Invention, 490 times; and Bass Ackwards, 396. Each was available for $3.99.
Success Or Failure?
Some have suggested this total signals a failure for YouTube, but I disagree. This was only ever intended as a small trial with films only a niche audience would appreciate.
What’s more, YouTube didn’t make a big deal out of it, letting the experiment find its own course rather than be influenced by high-profile ads on YouTube and its parent company Google.
YouTube spokesman Chris Dale even stated, “It definitely exceeded our expectations given all the barriers.” Which implies YouTube is happy with the results and has seen enough revenue and, more importantly promise, to up the ante next time around.
Conclusions
$10,000 isn’t much money in the big scheme of things, but it shows there could be a future there for YouTube to offer movie rentals in a bigger way in the future.
As always content is key. Independent films are one thing but if YouTube could make deals with the big studios for recently-released movies then the prospects move onto a different plain entirely.
And I have no doubts YouTube is already making those deals.
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