I can still vividly recall when I first attempted to send a video to my friend. The mid-2000s; a nightmare, that was a humongous file size, agonizingly slow upload time, and maddening error messages nonstop. Around the same time, three PayPal alumni, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, were as frustrated as I was. They exclaimed to themselves, “There’s got to be a better way to share videos!” And so it came to be that in February 2005, YouTube came into existence.
I’ll never forget the thrill of posting my own wobbly video (my goofy dog dashing about his tail) and thinking, “Anyone in the world can see this!” It was revolutionary. I had no idea this little site would go on to revolutionize the entire media and pop culture universe.
Random (and Community) Early Days
The very first YouTube video, “Me at the zoo,” was posted on April 23, 2005, by Jawed Karim. It’s literally just a simple 18-second video of him standing in front of elephants at the San Diego Zoo. On its surface, there’s nothing special about it, but in retrospect, it’s kind of crazy to consider that clip giving rise to a platform that would revolutionize how we consume and produce content.
YouTube in the early days was literally anything went. People were uploading lip-sync videos, cat videos (oh my, I mean, so many cat videos!), college pranks, dance videos, name them. One of the early viral videos that I remember is the “Evolution of Dance” some guy busting out classic moves throughout decades of pop culture history. I remember thinking, “This is so random, and I can’t turn away. And I’m actually laughing!”
Not in spite of its crudity, though, was this sense of community. Production quality would have been shoddy (videos were typically in shaky 240p), but crudity somehow appealed. You felt like whoever was producing these movies was ordinary folk with a camera, not giant production studios. It inspired some of my own students today to pick up a camera themselves, following in the footsteps of these very amateur productions. It was fantastic to see normal people, just us regular folk, posting videos out there and having people watch them.
And with platforms like TopTier SMM, creators today have even more opportunities to share their content and grow an audience beyond just a camera and a dream.
Google Enters the Picture (2006)
The popularity of YouTube increased, and Google bought it in 2006 for an astonishing $1.65 billion in stock. Everyone at the time was so convinced that Google was crazy for paying that amount for a website that had existed for perhaps only a year. But hindsight is 20/20, don’t you know?
With the backing of Google, the site was now able to accommodate larger audiences, improved video quality, and more freedom for creators. I would tell myself, “Geez, now YouTube could potentially have a shot at rivaling entertainment giants.” Google provided YouTube with the tools necessary to expand and continue to innovate.
Heading Mainstream
Following the Google acquisition, YouTube expanded from a mess of homemade videos to a more refined website. The YouTube Partner Program allowed creators to make revenue based on advertisements, making it possible for some to make a living from their YouTube careers as a full-time job. I recall being shocked myself when I first learned that people were giving up their day jobs to be YouTubers. “Wait…you actually can make a living off of this?!”
The large media conglomerates took notice too. Record companies started posting official music videos, film studios posted movie trailers, and television networks posted show clips. Advertisers flocked in, and YouTube was no longer about cat videos—it was a media giant.
Viral Moments and New-Age Celebrities
Next thing you knew, YouTube was the source for everything from political addresses to comedic sketches and, of course, those omnipresent viral dance crazes. Who could forget the Harlem Shake? Or Gangnam Style, whose popularity swept the nation? I remember my students running into class eager for the newest viral challenge de jour.
This was also the time that new-generation YouTubers began to emerge, individuals who did not need to navigate through Hollywood agents or casting calls but rather created gargantuan audiences on their own terms. In one night, overnight stardom no longer depended upon traditional gatekeepers. It was like the Wild West of show business, but at the same time, it also offered so many opportunities for creators everywhere.
The Tech Revolution
YouTube did not just expand in audience; the technology advanced as well. When I would begin publishing videos, the quality that we could get was normally 240p or 360p (and still took forever to download!). Today, we have clean 4K and even 8K for top-tier channels, live streams, captions, and interactivity.
And, of course, there was the iPhone. Being able to film and upload directly from your phone allowed anyone, anywhere, to become a creator instantaneously. Feeling like vlogging your grocery trip? Do it. Spontaneity and convenience went into the stratosphere.
Going Global
Before long, YouTube leaped across borders of language and culture. They began releasing localized versions so individuals all over the globe could watch and share in their home languages. When I ran a workshop in South Korea, I was amazed to discover how channels for K-pop had spread across YouTube. And do-it-yourself and lifestyle channels in Brazil had enormous followers, forming entirely different online cultures.
The site succeeded in being heavily local, concentrating on content relevant to specific cultures, and wildly global all at once. It was (and is) hypnotic to watch.
Impact on Culture and Society
YouTube is no longer entertainment. It’s social activism, education, and political power. I’ve had students inform me that they learned how to code, how to cook, or how to learn a new language through YouTube videos. For me, it’s where I first look for the quick fix tutorials, fixing a leaky faucet or discovering a new teaching software trick.
But with great power comes great responsibility. YouTube has faced criticism in the past few years over its content moderation, algorithmic recommendation, and even disinformation. Its constantly changing monetization policies have also crossed the minds of many creators. It’s certainly had its controversies and growing pains.
YouTube Today (and Tomorrow)
Nowadays, YouTube is one of the most visited sites on the entire internet. In addition to standard videos, there are YouTube Shorts (the service’s reaction to TikTok’s popularity) and community posts that enable creators to connect with their audience more. Analytics become stronger, and creators can learn about their audiences like never before.
Whereas solutions such as TikTok and Instagram Reels are increasing in popularity, YouTube’s age and massive content library make it particularly relevant. Billions of individuals depend on it for tutorials, news, entertainment, and pretty much everything in between. It’s part of our daily existence.
I sit and ponder each day where YouTube is headed. Will it remain the top destination for all sorts of video content, or will some other website ultimately become its replacement? One thing is certain: the individuals at YouTube have a history of breaking the rules, and sometimes those same mistakes have resulted in the site’s next big sensation.
FAQs
When was YouTube founded?
YouTube was created in February 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim.
What is the first video on YouTube?
The first video on YouTube is “Me at the zoo,” which was uploaded by Jawed Karim on April 23, 2005.
Why did Google acquire YouTube?
Google recognized how quickly YouTube was expanding and the massive potential that YouTube had. In buying YouTube in 2006 for 1.65 billion shares of stock, Google gave the technology and resources to service a growing fan base on a growth curve.
