#SpecialDelivery: Google Spotlight Stories come to YouTube with interactive 360-degree storytelling

Editor’s note: This year, we’ve expanded the lens of what you can see on YouTube, transporting you to new places to see new things. We brought virtual reality (VR) features to YouTube’s Android app so that you can feel as though you are right there and 360-degree video support so creators can share new perspectives with their fans. Now we’re widening the lens even further by bringing you a new interactive video format, Google Spotlight Stories. For select Android devices now. More soon.

A humble caretaker is surprised when a mysterious stranger causes mischief on the roof. He investigates, but can’t seem to catch even a glimpse of the troublemaker. And so the chase goes... room to room… up and down… The stranger remains just out of sight, leaving behind only a trail of gifts…

Meanwhile, you’re following the action at your own pace, from whatever angle you please—behind you, to your left, to your right, or in front of you. All on your mobile phone.

Today we’re bringing Google Spotlight Stories to YouTube with “Special Delivery,” an original short film made by Academy Award-winning animation studio Aardman Animations (Wallace and Gromit fans, take note), viewable on the YouTube app on many Android devices.

“Special Delivery” is the latest of several Spotlight Stories to come out of Google ATAP (our Advanced Technology and Projects group). With Google Spotlight Stories, your phone becomes a window to a story happening all around you. The sensors on your phone allow the story to be interactive, so when you move your phone to various scenes, you unlock mini-stories within the story.

We didn’t want anyone to miss Aardman’s “Pink Panther”-style holiday caper! So we also made a YouTube 360 version for other Android devices, iOS devices, and the web. You can find both versions of “Special Delivery” on the Spotlight Stories YouTube channel, and you can also watch with Google Cardboard. Next year, we’ll bring Google Spotlight Stories to more Android devices and the YouTube iOS app.

You’ll want to watch “Special Delivery” a few times to find all the surprises within the story. In the full interactive experience, you’ll encounter 10 subplots, three potential ways to view the ending, and 60+ moments where you can decide to follow the story in different ways. Each viewing is unique. We don’t want to spoil the ending, so that’s all we’ll say for now…

Posted by Kurt Wilms, Senior Product Manager, YouTube VR, recently watched “Special Delivery,” and Rachid El Guerrab, Technical Project Lead, Spotlight Stories, Google ATAP, recently watched “Time Couch.”

YouTube and NBC News present Democratic primary debate in South Carolina

From presidential candidates launching their campaigns, to YouTube creators discussing issues that matter to their communities, to light-hearted moments along the campaign trail, you’ve already been following the 2016 U.S. election from multiple angles on YouTube.

Now you can watch the candidates debate on YouTube, too.

Next month, we’ll join together with NBC News to present the final DNC sanctioned Democratic presidential debate before the first caucus and primary votes are cast—with the action live streamed on YouTube. The NBC News-YouTube Democratic Candidates Debate, hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and moderated by Lester Holt, will take place on Sunday, January 17, 2016, in Charleston, S.C., airing on NBC from 9-11 p.m. ET and streamed live on the NBC News YouTube channel.

With so many YouTube fans following this election closely, of course there will be an opportunity for you to get involved. Along with Google Trends data, the debate will feature questions from the YouTube community. Look out for more information on how you can engage in the coming weeks.

Since 2005 you’ve made YouTube a home for global politics, and today you watch more than 5 million hours of news on YouTube every day. Over the course of 2016, you’ll be able to find all of the major election moments unfold on YouTube—tune in to the NBC News YouTube channel January 17 to kick off the election year.

Brandon Feldman, YouTube News, recently watched “Party Systems: Crash Course Government and Politics” and Steve Grove, Google News Lab, recently watched “Barack Obama Singing Hotline Bling by Drake.”

Watch Jay Leno, Veritasium, a-ha, Jason Derulo and more LIVE from the Nobel Peace Prize Concert!

What do talk show host Jay Leno, YouTube star Derek Muller, Norwegian band a-ha, and singer Jason Derulo have in common? They are all part of the star-studded slate of hosts and performers at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Concert. And for the first time this year, you don’t have to be in Oslo to have front row seats to the event! The above acts and more, including MØ, KYGO, AURORA, and Emel Mathlouhti, will be live streamed directly to the Nobel Peace Prize Concert YouTube channel, so you can watch from wherever you are and on any Internet-connected device.

Exclusive to the live stream, YouTube star Derek Muller of Veritasium will host a backstage pre-show to give you a unique look at what goes on behind-the-scenes.



In its 22nd year, the Nobel Peace Prize Concert celebrates the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize award and this year is held in honor of the National Dialogue Quartet from Tunisia for their contribution to building a democracy in their homeland.

Be sure to tune in starting at 1:30 p.m. EST (19:30 CET) today, December 11, to watch the live stream at www.YouTube.com/NobelPeaceConcert and follow online at #NobelPeacePrizeConcert

Zayna Aston, YouTube Communications for Europe, Middle East and Africa, recently watched "YouTube Rewind: Now Watch Me 2015."

Celebrating what you created, watched and shared in 2015 with #YouTubeRewind and YouTube’s new Trending tab

In 2015, you introduced the world to the latest dance crazes, opened up discussions about diversity and inclusion, and lip-synced in cars and onstage in front of millions. The trends you participated in and the creativity you shared defined the year on YouTube in a bigger way than ever before.

It's time to celebrate. More than 150 YouTube creators from all over the world got together to relive not just the best moments of 2015, but also some of the most memorable viral clips from YouTube history (hey, it’s still our 10th birthday year for a few more days yet …). The result: the 2015 installment of our annual Rewind video, featuring everything from YouTube dance prodigies, some of your favorite TV personalities, an epic plastic ball fight, and even a remix from Avicii.



And there’s more. Celebrate some of your favorite moments on YouTube through our official top trending videos of 2015, based on the amount of time people spent watching, sharing, commenting, liking, and more. Topped by one of the year's biggest dance trends, these videos were watched for over 25 million hours and were created by powerhouse channels with over 40 million subscribers between them.

For the first time, not just one, but four television moments made the top Trending Videos list. Three are late night TV videos of widely popular YouTube trends: the lip sync battle, the in-car singalongs, and the reading of mean tweets. You all love late night TV on YouTube—the time people spent catching up on late-night clips like Corden, Fallon and Kimmel nearly doubled in the last year alone!

1. Silento- Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) #WatchMeDanceOn by Tianne King
2. Clash of Clans: Revenge (Official Super Bowl TV Commercial) by Clash of Clans
3. Crazy Plastic Ball PRANK!! by RomanAtwood
4. Love Has No Labels | Diversity & Inclusion | Ad Council by Ad Council
5. Lip Sync Battle with Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart and Jimmy Fallon by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
6. Justin Bieber Carpool Karaoke by The Late Late Show with James Corden
7. 6ft Man in 6ft Giant Water Balloon - 4K - The Slow Mo Guys by The Slow Mo Guys
8. Golden boy Calum Scott hits the right note | Audition Week 1 | Britain's Got Talent 2015 by Britain's Got Talent
9. Dover Police DashCam Confessional (Shake it Off) by Dover Police
10. Mean Tweets - President Obama Edition by Jimmy Kimmel Live

When it comes to music, 2015 saw some of our fastest-rising videos of all time. Wiz Khalifa's "See You Again" reached over 1 billion views in just 6 months and Adele reached the year's top 10 in just a few weeks. The top 10 music videos collectively have more than 66 million subscribers, and people spent over 37,000 years playing them in 2015.

1. Wiz Khalifa - See You Again ft. Charlie Puth [Official Video] Furious 7 Soundtrack
2. Maroon 5 - Sugar
3. Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do (Official Video)
4. Major Lazer & DJ Snake - Lean On (feat. MØ) (Official Music Video)
5. Taylor Swift - Bad Blood ft. Kendrick Lamar
6. David Guetta - Hey Mama (Official Video) ft Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack
7. Sia - Elastic Heart feat. Shia LaBeouf & Maddie Ziegler (Official Video)
8. Fifth Harmony - Worth It ft. Kid Ink
9. Adele - Hello
10. Silentó - Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) (Official)

...and check out even more top music videos.

And if you love staying on top of the most-anticipated new trailers, hottest music videos, and viral clips from YouTube creators, today we unveil the new YouTube Trending tab. This new tab in your YouTube app delivers the top trending videos directly to your Android, iOS, and desktop device. It's the best way to catch the videos, creators, and trends that people watch, share, and talk about each and every day. See 'em as they take off and before they appear in YouTube Rewind 2016. And for more Rewind fun, check out the YouTube Rewind channel!

Kevin Allocca, Head of Culture & Trends, and the YouTube Rewind team, recently watched “YouTube Rewind: Now Watch Me 2015 | #YouTubeRewind.”

Climate change affects the things we love. #OursToLose

From seasons to octopuses and chocolate, environmental issues stand to impact the things we love. What if we could help change the way people discuss climate change, so that the issue and its consequences could become more relevant and tangible to people around the world?

Leading up to COP21, a conference which will bring leaders from around the world together to develop a global climate agreement, we’re encouraging the YouTube community to join the discussion by uploading their own videos that share their concerns about how environmental issues may impact the things they love. The conversation on YouTube will live through a simple hashtag: #OursToLose.



With the help of YouTube creators from around the world, including Casey Neistat (U.S.), Finn Harries (U.K.), Golden Moustache (France), Jamie Curry (New Zealand) and Flavia Calina (Brazil), we’re also encouraging people to show further support by signing the Avaaz petition, a campaign aimed at delivering clean energy worldwide by 2050.

Whether you’re questioning how global warming can impact your day-to-day life, curious about new sources of energy, or concerned about the melting Arctic, we hope that you share your ideas through #OursToLose videos to help make the climate conversation more accessible to people around the world.

The YouTube community can empower tremendous collaboration, advocacy, and creativity. Through #OursToLose, we hope to continue helping people to broadcast their message, empower their communities, and even catalyze a global movement to further action on climate change.

Marc Hertz, Programming Coordinator, recently watched “Misconceptions about Climate Change” and Aaron Taylor, Associate Product Marketing Manager, recently watched "What's Possible: The UN Climate Summit Film."

A YouTube built just for music

Usher discovers Bieber. Psy breaks a billion. Macklemore goes from the garage to the Grammys. Pentatonix top the charts. Over the past ten years, music on YouTube has been magic. We’ve seen established artists reach new heights and new artists explode on the scene. We’ve seen our fans shake, get happy and let it go. And together, they’ve made YouTube the absolute best place in the world to discover new music.

Today, any artist can upload a video to YouTube and get discovered by over 1 billion people around the globe. That global exposure has allowed YouTube and Google to pay out over $3 billion to the record industry to date. But it’s also provided an incredible source of promotion for artists, helping fuel ticket sales, move merchandise, and boost album and song downloads. Just this month, Adele’s “Hello” became the fastest rising video of the year on YouTube, while also breaking the record for first week download sales.

But we want to do even more to support artists and all the fans who turn to YouTube to discover music, so we’re making the experience even better with a brand new YouTube Music app. With YouTube Music, you’ll get a completely new type of experience, designed to make discovering music on YouTube easier than ever.


No matter where you start in the app, the music will never stop. Every song you play or artist you choose will take you on an endless journey through YouTube’s music catalog. A simple tap and you’re on your way, enjoying your favorite music and discovering new artists effortlessly. The home tab will recommend tracks just for you and create personalized stations based on your tastes.

The app also gives you complete access to one of the richest music catalogs on earth. You’ll be able to quickly find music videos, tracks, artists and albums, but you’ll also see all the remixes, covers, lyric videos and concert footage that YouTube has to offer.

And you can also amplify your experience with a YouTube Red membership. With YouTube Red, you’ll get to experience all that the Music app has to offer without ads. You’ll also have the ability to listen to music offline and seamlessly switch between video or audio-only (so you can decide whether you actually watch Silentó whip and nae nae). And also be able to hear any video play, even when you’re in another app or have your screen turned off.

You can download YouTube Music starting today in the U.S. on the Google Play store or the App Store and as a special treat, get the amplified experience for free for 14 days. We can’t wait for you to download YouTube Music and see where the music takes you!

T. Jay Fowler, Director, Product Management, recently watched “Low - Try to Sleep”

YouTube presses play on virtual reality

If we’ve learned anything in the past 10+ years at YouTube it’s that capturing and sharing videos is a great way to bring people there with you—whether “there” is an Icelandic glacier, a special performance by violinist Tim Fain, or just a friend’s birthday party.

Virtual reality (VR) makes the experience of being there even more awesome and immersive, so today we’re bringing two new VR features to YouTube’s Android app. All you need is your current phone, and a Google Cardboard viewer.

First, YouTube now supports VR video—a brand new kind of video that makes you feel like you’re actually there. Using the same tricks that we humans use to see the world, VR video gives you a sense of depth as you look around in every direction. Near things look near, far things look far. So if you were excited about 360° videos, this is pretty freakin’ cool.

To give it a try just find a VR video on YouTube—like the Hunger Games Experience or TOMS Shoes Giving Trip—tap the new Cardboard icon, drop your phone into your Cardboard viewer, and you’re off! If you’re a creator, you can also check out technologies like Jump to capture and share your own VR videos.

Check out this and more VR videos here

Our second bit of news is for the universe of existing YouTube content. And that’s the fact that you can now watch any video using Google Cardboard, and experience a kind of virtual movie theater. Just select the new “Cardboard” option from the watch page menu, drop your phone into your viewer, and you’re done. You’ll now have the largest VR content library right at your fingertips.

Both of today’s updates make it easier to be there. In some cases, really there there. So download the new YouTube app from Google Play, and get going.

Kurt Wilms, Senior Product Manager, YouTube VR recently watched “Waves of Grace”, Sanjeev Verma, YouTube Product Manager, recently watched “LA Phil: The Orchestra VR Video Experience” and Husain Bengali, Product Manager, Jump recently watched “Apollo 11 moon landing.

Rewriting the code for girls in CS

When it comes to computer science, millions of girls are being left out of the conversation. Despite earning the majority of bachelor's degrees in the U.S., women earn fewer than 20 percent of computer science degrees, with serious implications for our economy and for women at large.

The problem of getting girls more interested in tech has many sources, but according to Google’s own research, one of them is optics. Girls don’t see positive role models of other girls and women in popular culture. In a study of popular films in 11 countries, fewer than 20 percent of computer science or tech roles were held by women.

As someone who runs a company at the intersection of technology and media, I want to help change the perceptions of women and technology we see today. So, as part of our Made with Code and media perception initiatives, I’m excited that we’re supporting award-winning documentary filmmaker Lesley Chilcott—of “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Waiting for Superman” fame—on her next film, “CODEGIRL.”

“CODEGIRL” follows the story of 5,000 girls from 60 countries as they compete in a global entrepreneurship and coding competition by Technovation. The girls have three months to develop an app that attempts to solve a problem in their local community. In the film, they size up their competition, interact with teachers and local mentors, learn to code, and pitch their ideas all in hopes of winning $10,000 in funding and support.

Starting today and until November 5, Lesley’s film will be available for free on YouTube, before its theatrical debut in the next few weeks. You can watch the film below and use the hashtag #rallyforcodegirl to show your support.


Our goal is to inspire as many students as possible during this special five-day free viewing period before it hits theaters. With your help, we’ll be able to inspire more girls around the world to pursue their passions in tech.

Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, recently watched "American Kids Try Candy from Around the World - Episode 4."

My Edited Video

I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (https://www.youtube.com/editor)

Palm Desert SEO Company Teaches About Citations and Google Rankings

http://operationweb.com/citations-and-google-rankings-at-desert-welcome-luncheon Learn from Google Partner Operation Web! Take your time and do it right with citations.

YouTube Red is here

For ten years, you’ve made YouTube an incredible place---a global community of over 1 billion people that gives anyone the power to create something that everyone can watch. The good news is, that isn’t changing. The free, ad-supported YouTube isn’t going anywhere.

And we've got some more good news. Starting today, YouTube Red goes live in the U.S., giving you a new way to watch YouTube, while still supporting your favorite creators.

With a YouTube Red membership, you’ll experience YouTube without video ads, be able to save videos to watch offline, and play videos in the background on your mobile device, all for $9.99 a month. And just like with our advertising revenue, the majority of revenue we get from YouTube Red memberships will go to our creator community.

Your Red membership works anywhere you sign into YouTube, whether it’s across mobile devices, desktop, connected TVs, or on our recently launched Gaming app or our upcoming Music app. And as a special bonus, YouTube Red comes with Google Play Music, so subscribe to one and automatically get access to the other. Starting early next year, YouTube Red will get even better with access to new, original series and movies from some of your favorite creators.

And just to give you a feel for an uninterrupted YouTube experience, anyone in the U.S. can sign up for a free 30-day trial. You can learn more at youtube.com/red.

Soon, you’ll be watching what you want, when you want, on any device you want, uninterrupted.

Matt Leske, Senior Product Manager, recently watched “Bali Road Trip in 4K! - #onedayoffline.”

DigitasLBi Identifies The Most “Contagious” Brands On Social Media

It should be easy to tell whether or not something’s working on social media, right? I mean, if you’ve got a lot of likes and favorites, that’s great. If you don’t, that’s less great. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work? Well, not quite — at least according to DigitasLBi. The marketing agency worked with Wharton professor Jonah Berger to develop… Read More

Meet YouTube Red, the ultimate YouTube experience

For years, YouTube’s fans have been telling us they want more—more choice when watching their favorite content, more ways to support their favorite creators and, above all, the option to watch their favorite videos uninterrupted.

On October 28, we’re giving fans exactly what they want. Introducing YouTube Red -- a new membership designed to provide you with the ultimate YouTube experience.

YouTube Red lets you enjoy videos across all of YouTube without ads, while also letting you save videos to watch offline on your phone or tablet and play videos in the background, all for $9.99 a month. Your membership extends across devices and anywhere you sign into YouTube, including our recently launched Gaming app and a brand new YouTube Music app we’re announcing today that will be available soon.

YouTube Music is designed to make discovering, watching and listening to music easier than ever. Any song or artist you choose on YouTube Music will start you on a personal journey through one of the richest music catalogs; just sign in, tap a track you love, and see where your music takes you. And as a special bonus - YouTube Red works with Google Play Music, so subscribe to one and automatically get access to the other.

And starting early next year, YouTube Red will get even better with member-only access to new, original shows and movies from some of YouTube’s biggest creators. You can read all about Originals coming to YouTube Red here.

We’re working to bring YouTube Red and our YouTube Music, Gaming and Kids apps to more countries soon. And don’t worry! The free, ad-supported version of YouTube we all know and love isn’t going anywhere. You’ll still be able to enjoy YouTube, along with the YouTube Kids, Gaming and Music apps free of charge. But with YouTube Red, you’ll be able to support the people who make your favorite videos while watching what you want, when you want, on any device you want, uninterrupted.

Viewers in the U.S. can try YouTube Red for free with a one month trial on October 28 and YouTube Music will be coming soon.



Matt Leske, Senior Product Manager, recently watched "The Juice Challenge."

East Roundup: Orange Fall to Cavaliers in Marathon

Virginia, ending a two-game skid, rallied to beat Syracuse with a 3-yard run in the third overtime.

Gamers and streamers - a winner is you!

It’s you who makes YouTube the most watched platform for gamers—far and away. Every month gamers watch more than 144 billion minutes of gaming videos and live streams on YouTube. To put it into perspective, that’s like watching Let’s Plays for more than 270,000 years straight 24 hours a day—or beating Final Fantasy VII 1,900,000 times a day!

Today’s updates to YouTube Gaming are the next step in our quest to create the best place for gamers to come together to watch gaming videos, build communities, and live stream. We’ve listened to your feedback since September and have been working on some of the most requested new features and improvements.

Mobile Capture: Empowering streams of every shape and size
Every day, games are played while waiting for the bus, riding the subway, or lounging on the couch—but what about live streaming your mobile gameplay? You heard it from us at the Tokyo Game Show and now it’s here to stay. You can now record and live stream mobile gameplay on-the-go directly from Android devices using Mobile Capture on YouTube Gaming. You don’t need any additional hardware or software—just tap Go Live (or your avatar on a phone) in the YouTube Gaming app, turn on your selfie cam and record your commentary with your phone’s microphone.

Narrate and react to your gameplay using the phone’s microphone and a selfie-cam overlay. Entertain and interact with your audience via live chat. Go live and capture all Android games today!

Sponsorships: Making it easy to back your favorite gamers
Support the live streams and videos you love with Fan Funding and Sponsorships, now in beta to a small group of creators. For a monthly payment, sponsors receive extra perks including a live chat badge chosen by the creator and access to exclusive chat sessions. We’ll continuously expand the list of beta channels, so keep your eyes peeled!

Other new and improved features
Here are some of the other requested changes we’ve made to date. Thanks for the feedback and keep it coming!

• More easily see when there are live streams for games in your collection
• Easier video bookmarking with Watch Later
• Improved performance and a redesigned watch page on gaming.youtube.com
• Better search navigation on iOS by remembering your previous searches
• Import existing subscriptions anytime from YouTube via Settings

Go live today with the newly updated YouTube Gaming app available on Google Play and the App Store, for U.S. and U.K.

Barbara Macdonald, Product Manager, recently live streamed "Bad Piggies."

YouTube goes (even more) global!

If you’re watching a YouTube video today, chances are you’re not in the United States. More than 80 percent of YouTube’s billions of views each day come from fans in countries outside the U.S., and the videos and creators they’re watching are just as global.

We want to make sure the videos you see when you fire up YouTube are relevant to you, wherever you’re watching. That’s why we’re launching even more local country versions of YouTube, connecting fans with creators in their home countries and giving those creators a way to earn money from their popularity. With the addition of the Adriatics, Baltics, Bulgaria, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Belarus, YouTube now has local versions in 85 countries.

For fans in these countries, this means easily discovering local creators and content. In Kazakhstan, you’ll find local talent such as DynastyofCat, a hugely popular DIY and vlogging channel, or even local broadcasters like TheSevenChannel, right there on the homepage. In Belarus, you can find 17-year-old vlogger DimaErmuzevich who regularly reaches more than 400K fans; and the Serbian music channel Grand Production, which has grown a following throughout the Balkans and beyond with their folk music.

Local versions of YouTube are good news for creators, too. It opens up the opportunity for creators to become a partner, earn money from their channels, and gain access to tools and resources that can help them make the most of YouTube. Creators can access online lessons via the YouTube Creator Academy to get started and learn best practices, and the Creator Community gives creators a place to meet each other, find collaborations, and more. We hope that this will allow more creators to bring more of their ideas and talents to YouTube for all of us to enjoy.

So whether you’re viewing us from youtube.by, youtube.kz, or youtube.bg, you’ve now got your own YouTube that not only connects you with a community of a billion people, but helps you see the creativity going on right in your backyard.

Marenco Kemp, Head of EMEA Online Partnerships, recently watched "Top10Memes: Top 10 Facts - Lego."