Why Is No Susan Boyle Download Available?
Are you sick of this story? Me too. But there are lessons that can be learned from Susan Boyle.
The meteoric rise the Britian's Got Talent contestant has led to more than 100 million plays on YouTube making it the most popular video in YouTube's history. All those clicks should mean a nice check for Susan or at least the TV show's producer, shouldn't it?
Wired's Eliot Van Buskirk did a little digging and found that according to a Google spokesperson "That video is not being monetized." That means that $500,000 in licensing fees and more than $1M in overlay ad revenue are being left on the table.
Just as importantly, why in this age of immediacy aren't YouTube, producer Simon Cowell and his Sony BMG label selling downloads on her YouTube pages? If just one half of one percent of those that watched the video hit buy, that's 500,000 downloads. The digital age providesopportunities, but only if marketers grab them.
I just really don’t know what to make of this story. Is it inspirational or exploitative? I’m on the fence. I couldn’t even watch the famous video. Part of me want to believe that she has “talent” but the other half is calling bullshit. Her story is more compelling then her voice. But the real winner is YouTube and Britain’s got Talent.
More to the point of your article, you just HAVE to laugh at these label people for not being able to be quick on their feet with stuff like this.
I totally agree. Yet another example of labels failing to embrace the ease of use and profitability that a strong digital strategy offers…
i think that they would rather wait and build up hype to sell more of the album.
selling the single now would probably blow the load too early on susan boyle.
What this really shows is that 100 million watched videos( the largest ever on YouTube to date) even with a ad revenue share would only net $500,000 to $1,000,000 dollars. That is from 1/2 a cent to one cent a veiw. Compare that to a sales on iTunes for the 99 cents and you can sell far less and make far more. This shows that the YouTube model is ok if you were giving it away anyway, but nothing for seriouse content like concerts, movies and TV. I think Hulu is the same also. Should the show have monitized it on this yes, as they had nothing to loose, but should television shows, concerts and movies ever go up on YouTube or Hulu, No NEVER….Not At That Compensation you are degrading your product value.Is she that good…no I think it was a PR job since Simon would be leaving AI and also just to see how far they could push an unattractive female with a mediocre voice…foul!