“Interest in gaming is also soaring on YouTube,” says Google. “In 2014, the second-most searched topic on YouTube is actually a game: Minecraft. What's more, it's not just the volume of views that is impressive. It's the level of engagement and time spent with gaming content that should make marketers do a double-take.”Google goes on to mention it’s not just gaming that’s seen a huge rise in 2014. Likewise, eSport coverage and videos are also on the up.
“One exciting and fast-growing category on YouTube is competitive gaming, also referred to as eSports. As with pro sports (baseball and football, for example), it has iconic players, fans, team uniforms, playoffs, and more. Although the eSports phenomenon is garnering significant media attention and revenue, it's only part of a much larger gaming content ecosystem.”
The success of YouTube’s ability to entertain an audience, Google says, comes from the “reactions,” and “commentary,” of the video's creator. In a recent Google Consumer Survey, one consumer explained the YouTube phenomenon as a “shared experience with a favorite creator."
What’s next for Google? Last month the Internet giant showcased its first ever self-driving car, an idea that Google hopes could help minimise road accidents. Wesley Copeland is a freelance news writer, but you probably already guessed that. For more obvious statements, you should probably follow him on Twitter.