Amazon Video to Compete With YouTube – Offer Video Creators New Distribution Platform
YouTube has probably made more millionaires than most any other content distribution sites on the web. But with that, YouTube itself has also benefited, taking a percentage of that revenue for themselves.
Amazon Video, in its plans for massive expansion in 2016, has just announced their YouTube competitor Amazon Video Direct, a new platform for content creators that will offer them another way to distribute and monetize video.
“It’s an amazing time to be a content creator,” said Jim Freeman, Vice President of Amazon Video. “There are more options for distribution than ever before and with Amazon Video Direct, for the first time, there’s a self-service option for video providers to get their content into a premium streaming subscription service. We’re excited to make it even easier for content creators to find an audience, and for that audience to find great content.”
As far as how the revenue will work, also launching today is the AVD Stars program, which gives video creators a share of one million dollars per month based on customer engagement with their title. Here’s how the program works: Amazon will distribute to creators a monthly bonus from the one million dollar monthly fund, based on the Top 100 AVD titles in Prime Video, in addition to any other revenue earned. Video creators and providers who use AVD to make their titles available in Prime Video will automatically be enrolled. The AVD Stars program launches today and the one million dollar monthly fund will make its first bonus distributions based on streaming activity from June 1st to June 30th.
For those curious who else is going to be producing content for Amazon Video Direct, you’ll be in good company. Some of the major names included in the launch are Conde Nast Entertainment, HowStuffWorks, Samuel Goldwyn Films, The Guardian, Mashable, Mattel, StyleHaul, Kin Community, Jash, Business Insider, Machinima, TYT Network, Baby Einstein, CJ Entertainment America, Xive TV, Synergetic Distribution, Kino Nation, Journeyman Pictures, and Pro Guitar Lessons.
Do you produce videos for YouTube? Will you try out AVD’s new program? Let us know in the comments.