Over two decades, YouTube has accumulated an impressive collection of over 20 billion videos.
Informal Rewrite
YouTube ain't no more casual video-share platform, no sir, it's transforming into a linchpin of modern life, set to outperform US cable TV when it comes to paid viewership.
Back in 2005, Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, ex-PayPal partners, brainstormed YouTube during a dinner party. The domain went online on Valentine's Day, and on April 23, they unveiled video uploading, with Karim's 19-second San Diego Zoo clip netting 348 million views since.
From 2005 to 2025, YouTube scaled up immensely beyond expectations. YouTube confirms that average daily videos uploaded total around 20 million. The platform houses a heap of clips: concerts, podcasts, ads, tutorials, and much more.
The digital video giant is also the world's leading service by viewer time and ad revenue, according to eMarketer analyst Ross Benes. They hit over 2.5 billion global viewers last year, and their music and premium tier hit 100 million subs, as reported by market tracker Statista.
Benes predicts that YouTube will trump all US cable services in paid subs within two years. Users are reportedly watching over a billion hours of YouTube content daily on television sets, as per Google.
YouTube plans to elevate TV viewing this summer with enhanced features and optimizations, but keeps mum on specifics.
"Two decades ago, it would've seemed a joke that this platform with kids making parody videos would threaten Disney, ABC, and CBS," says Benes. "But here we are."
Analysts consider Google's 2006 purchase of YouTube for $1.65 billion key, blending Google's search and ad know-how with a video-sharing platform that ignited passion. Google leveraged ads to forge a successful revenue model while sharing with creators who attracted big audiences.
The company tackled concerns about copyright violations and inappropriate content surfacing, gradually surpassing streaming services like Netflix, Disney, and Amazon Prime, as well as short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels[1][4].
[1] YouTube's early years and rapid growth (2005-2013) — Google’s advertising expertise enabled YouTube to build a powerful ad-driven revenue model, incentivizing high-quality content production through monetization programs. The platform also developed sophisticated AI-driven recommendation algorithms that significantly increased user engagement.
[3] Technological advancements and business model shift (2010-2024) — YouTube transitioned from just a free video hosting site to a comprehensive content ecosystem, introducing HD and 4K video streaming, live events, and interactive content. The unveiling of YouTube Shorts further expanded its audience base by tapping into the popularity of short-form videos.
[4] Cultural and market impact — YouTube's social impact is immense, influencing popular culture, creating new celebrity types, and becoming the central hub for entertainment and information globally. It remains a favored platform for content consumption across age groups, especially the younger demographic, which is shifting away from traditional cable TV to YouTube. The platform’s personalized, on-demand, and accessible content has changed viewing habits, moving audiences away from scheduled TV programming.
- By 2025, it's expected that YouTube will surpass US cable TV in paid subscriptions, showcasing its transformation from a casual video-sharing platform into a linchpin of modern life.
- YouTube was founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, former partners of PayPal, and since then, it has grown exponentially, housing over 20 million average daily videos including concerts, podcasts, ads, tutorials, and more.
- Analysts attribute YouTube's success to Google's 2006 purchase of the platform for $1.65 billion, as it combined Google's search and ad know-how with a video-sharing platform that ignited passion.
- The digital video giant is not only the world's leading service by viewer time and ad revenue, but has also surpassed streaming services like Netflix, Disney, and Amazon Prime, as well as short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, becoming the central hub for entertainment, information, and social-media trends.
