Forbes digs up a few YouTube money stats

Forbes has a story about YouTube with a few hard, if unsourced, financial numbers — the kind Google and YouTube keep very close to the vest.

The article, by Quentin Hardy and Evan Hessel, says YouTube is going to bring in $200 million this year, and possibly $350 million next year. From one perspective that's small taters (the fourth "Indiana Jones" made $126 million in four days), but it's a heck of a lot more than YouTube was making last year, and if there's one sure thing about YouTube, it's that the site isn't going to stop growing anytime soon. It now gets more than 50% of its traffic from overseas (cagey 'Tube executives won't say how much more, but some of us think it's a lot), and they're making partnership deals like rabbits — CBS, Scripps, Universal Music and now even their competitor Hulu.

A few of the other interesting stats from the article, headlined "GooTube":

• A branded channel (a YouTube page devoted to a product or manufacturer) costs $200,000. Bonus question: Is Scientology's YouTube page a branded channel?
• The big ad on the YouTube homepage costs $175,000 a day, plus a commitment to drop $50,000 more on YouTube or Google ads.
• Web video ad spending is expected to be $1.35 billion this year, up from $775 million in 2007.
• There's not much money in user-generated video: Rates for ads next to such content are down 45% since February, to 18 cents per 1,000 pageviews, according to digital analytics company PubMatic. Of course, that can add up after a few billion views ...

Comments

[Terryeo]

So it costs $200,000 to be above Youtube's terms of service? Someone tell Mark Bunker of XenuTV.

[Anonymous]

Scientology: The tax-free business that also gets away with human rights violations. Cool, eh?

[anonymous]

Gee, a criminal cult based around a bait and switch scam gets to blow the money it makes from blackmailing the IRS into breaking the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment on buying its way out of YT's TOS and into squashing free speech! That's peachy keen, Biffy! Let's let them do that some more...

[Ian Brad]

Scientology that's a dangeruous cult right? What's it doing on Youtube, and why do they let them attract more members that way?

[butthash]

How much they payin you Terreo? I mean, you have to scour the internet all day for scientology related articles and relentlessly post $cientology propaganda in the comments, that's a pretty tough job, I would hope you would at least get minimum wage for that, or did David Miscavige assault you when you asked for a raise?

[ChanologyPortal]

I heard that advertising for Mesothelioma is one of the most expensive to do on the internet. I guess this cosy may also have to be shouldered Scientology with all the blue asbestos that has been on their ship The Freewinds all these years.

For more information on Anonymous, and Project Chanology visist:

The Chanology Portal

[JCK]

Wow, scientology is really rich. And this is what they do with their money? Where did they get all that money from? Don't they as a religion have worth causes to give their money too...I mean $200,000 is a fair bit of money. And to spend all that for self promotion by adverts isn't something I usually think a religion would do, maybe a business with something to sell. And I never knew all those Scientology adds that kept popping up cost so much... this is really ... wow...

Isn't doing good deeds and being helpful the way to gather followers?

[Bill]

This article and the blog should be sent to Congress and the IRS. Take free abuse. Youtube selling their souls (purchased) - doesn't seem to matter what they have done to people.

[anónimo]

Scientology: learn how to get away with infiltration, harassment, kidnapping and how to get rid of thetnas and SPs...

[daasdsaczxcwrewsdsazxvadfhzcxv]

"Let's spend the money members donated to promote lies on the interwebs!" -Scilon Genius

[Portland, Oregon Anonymous]

Thanks for pointing this out, Forbes staff! I guess "Google's 'Don't Be Evil'" policy doesn't apply if you're paying cash.

I find it alarming that Google has forgotten the naked aggression aimed at the press by Scientology (e.g., Bob Woodward & Time Magazine). If Google keeps this up, they risk acquiring an appearance of a company more interested in profits and keenly disinterested in promoting the free exchange of ideas.

It takes more than a profit motive to assure future sustainability. Hence, the rise of Google and Apple and the fall of the Microsoft empire...

[sage]

lulz it's costing them alot more then just 200,000 cause remember, they boought up keywords for their advertising

just a drop in the bucket for a 3 billion dollar industry cult^_^

www.whyweprotest.net

[Terryeo]

Why does a "religion" need to compete for ad space? If scientology existed for the benefit of the public (as religions are required), then how can they justify dumping millions of dollars into YouTube rather than providing food/clothes/shelter for the truly suffering people of the world?

Scientology is a business, plain and simple. The situation disgusts me.

[another anonymous]

Shhh...let's all pretend we are REALLY interested in the scientology channel. Let them continue to spend buckets full of cash to attempt to spin doctor their tanking PR...less money for their nasty practices towards their goal of 'clearing' the planet.

[norcal gal]

Google for "Scientology occult" to see what Youtube has gotten themselves into.

[Jack]

Why does a religion need a youtube channel?

And how does a religion have so much money to waste?

[Skaanon]

WWW.XENU.NET Scientology is worse than you think.

[Penne Noodles]

I love that Scientology is squeezing the followers dry so it can advertise on Youtube. What a "religion".

[Anti-Scientology]

The fact that this so-called, tax-exempt, "religion" has this amount of money to spend on propaganda advertisement while the slaves working for it get paid thirty dollars a week and live on a diet of rice and beans, and while thousands of people on this planet die of hunger every day - for which Scientology does NOTHING - should be of note.

[marc]

New movie out now on Anonymous. Called "Strangers". Perfect fit.

[Anonymous]

The IRS needs to revoke it's tax exempt status.

NOW.

[Bill jacobs]

First Polygamy, now scientology, next thing you are going to tell me is that the oil prices are caused by traders jacking up the future prices. Wait......aw man, the world seems to be going to heck in a hand basket.

[Jacob Mathew]

I believe it. With the popularity of YouTube intergrated into iPhones the visibilty of the company has grown. Personally I don't see an end in sight to their profits.