Online video sharing site YouTube has hired its first CMO, according to news reports.
Suzie Reider, a former executive VP at CNET (who also held sales and marketing position with the company) has taken the helm to oversee marketing for YouTube, according to reports.
The video sharing site, which had its start from a garage in Menlo Park, CA in December 2005, has had explosive growth since its launch. Each day more than 100 million videos are viewed on the YouTube Web site and 65,000 are uploaded.
According to Hitwise, an online marketing research firm, YouTube videos account for 60% of all videos watched online and people are spending an average of 17 minutes per session on the site.
Last month, to capitalize on its popularity, the company launched Participatory Video Ads (PVA) and Brand Channels. With it “the [YouTube] community and marketer can now participate in the advertising experience in a mutually beneficial way,” the company said.
The PVA is a user-initiated video advertisement with YouTube community features enabled. Consumers can rate, share, comment, embed, and flag ads as favorite content if they find it interesting, informative and entertaining.
“Rather than interrupt a consumer’s experience, we have created a model which encourages engagement and participation,” the company said. Meanwhile, Brand Channels provide advertisers a place to showcase video content on YouTube with a look and feel that is consistent with their brand imagery. This new concept helps brands connect and engage with their consumers around great video content, YouTube said. So far, Warner Bros. has signed up for the Brand Channel offering.
San Mateo, CA-based YouTube did not confirm Reider’s appointment by press time.
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