Journal: YouTube's Future as Read Through the Tea-Leaves of Job Ads

I wrote about youtube's job postings on my blog yesterday... I'll quote here for convenience:

I was looking through YouTube's recent job listing and found some very interesting positions and job descriptions.

Going down the list, near the top they have Content Acquisition Associate. Maybe I'm wrong, but I take that to mean they will be buying content, possibly from their own users.

Secondly, there's Content Editor, responsible for "Sourcing the best videos on YouTube", as well as editing these acquired videos.

Following a bunch of other relatively non-noteworthy positions comes Senior Account Executive, In-Game Advertising. Wait. What's that? In-Game Advertising? A closer read, reveals they want someone to help "drive revenue for Google game publisher partners." Naturally, Google would have a plan for selling in game advertising, but, what does that have to do with YouTube? Maybe they're planning on adding flash games?

Nearing the end of the list is the Web Application Tools Developer, the guy who will create systems for "support, media reviewing, content management, advertising and sales" (emphasis mine). There is clearly a trend here toward advertising.

The last thing on the list (and the first to catch my eye), is one of the requirements for the Web Developer position: Experience with developing e-commerce platforms highly desired. This combined, with the previous job description, seems to indicate that users will be able to buy and sell directly through YouTube. I don't know if that means just buying "air time" or if that meant buying actual (advertised) products.

We've always suspected the in-video advertising, but most people are vehemently opposed to the idea of commercials showing up in their videos. No doubt YouTube paying the content creator would silence most protests, as well as giving YouTube the added bonus of being able to polish these videos (many well deserving, as we can all attest to).

Will these enhancements finally answer the question, "How is Google going to make money from YouTube?"