Just How Big Is The How-To Video Market? Howcast Streams 25 Million Videos Per Month
By Anna Johnson on February 3rd, 2010Just how big is the how-to online video market? Well, according to TechCrunch, Howcast is now streaming 25 million videos a month across its network (including its site, Howcast.com, channels on YouTube and Hulu, and an iPhone app).
This is 150 percent more than the 10 million videos per month or so Howcast streamed a year ago.
With Howcast’s YouTube channel in YouTube’s top 100 channels, nearly 100 million cumulative views so far, and 111,000 subscribers, Howcast – which covers a broad range of topics, rather than specific niches – proves the popularity of how-to online videos.
It may also prove the viability of a general how-to video site. According to Howcast CEO Jason Liebman, Howcast is on track to be profitable by the end of 2010, based on its advertising and ‘branded entertainment’ revenue streams.
Currently, most of Howcast’s revenue comes from ‘branded entertainment’, where Howcast gives marketers the ability to place branded how-to videos – e.g. advertorials, product demos, customer support videos, and social branding videos – on Howcast. Whilst only 10 percent of Howcast’s videos constitute branded entertainment, these generate the bulk of the company’s revenue.
Howcast also derives revenue from advertising. Howcast places overlay ads from ad networks such as Google and ScanScout on its videos and has also recently hired a head of ad sales to sell ad space directly to advertisers and ad agencies.
Similar to Demand Media (see Anatomy of Demand Media – The $1 Billion Information Marketing Company), Howcast uses a finely honed system to choose topics for, and create, its how-to videos.
In order to pump out around 1,000 how-to videos a month, Howcast:
- Uses specific data to establish the how-to video topics – search trends, video views, editorial calendars, etc.
- Assigns videos to freelance video makers who are paid about U.S. $50 per 2-3 minute video.
- Streamlines production by giving its freelance video makers scripts, voice-overs, and graphics.
