In a move that could enhance considerably its online video subsidiary’s capability to monetise its platform’s video transactions, Google has acquired the FameBit marketing platform.
FameBit began life nearly three years ago with the mission to simplify influencer marketing and make it easy for brands of any size and budget to find and work with what the company identified as influential content creators. The company now believes that the roster of creators and brands that it has built up makes it the leading self-service marketplace in the branded video space.
The company’s founders David Kierzkowski and Agnes Kozera say that they couldn’t be happier to announce that their company had been acquired by Google. Explaining what the acquisition will mean, they said: “Every day we see more brands grow, transform and build closer connections with customers, while helping creators turn passion and influence into successful careers ... FameBit will continue to work just like it has and will remain a standalone operation for now. We’re excited to continue helping brands and creators succeed in an even bigger way. With Google’s relationship with brands large and small, and YouTube’s partnership with creators around the globe, we hope to connect even more brands to creators, engage more audiences, and make brand marketing more creative and authentic than ever.”
For its part, Google sees the move as furthering YouTube’s plans to help creators connect with brands. The online video juggernaut says that every year more and more brands are making YouTube essential to their marketing strategy and that in the last year alone, the top 100 advertisers have increased them spend on YouTube video ads by 50%.
Google also believes that its relationship with brands and YouTube’s partnerships with creators, combined with FameBit’s technology and expertise, will help increase the number of branded content opportunities available, bringing even more revenue into the online video community.
“As brands continue to embrace the value of YouTube, they’re also taking their investments one step further, partnering with creators on branded content opportunities such as product placements, promotions and sponsorships,” said Ariel Bardin, VP of product management.
“As we look to the future, we want even more creators and brands to come together and realise the benefits of these creative collaborations. Creators will always have the choice in how they work with brands, and there are many great companies who provide this service today. This acquisition doesn’t change that. Our hope is that FameBit’s democratised marketplace will allow creators of all sizes to directly connect with brands, as well as provide a great technology solution for companies like MCNs and agencies to find matches for their creators and brand partners.”