Social network sites and competition: a tale of YouTube, 2005–2015
Journal of Historical Research in Marketing
ISSN: 1755-750X
Article publication date: 20 September 2023
Issue publication date: 22 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to document and analyze the success story of YouTube as a social network site in a competitive market, offering important academic and managerial implications.
Design/methodology/approach
Historical methods were used for investigation. This study applies the Resource-Advantage theory to identify key events in the history of YouTube from archival documents and evaluates and synthesizes the evidence to recount the channel’s evolution.
Findings
YouTube faced challenges from competitors across various industries since its launch. It has used its global user base and technological skills to develop innovative market offerings for users, contributors and marketers. YouTube built long-term relationships with stakeholders, continuously adapted to external changes and initiated internal alignments to compete in multiple industries. Over time, despite several changes in the competitive landscape, YouTube has grown into a successful media firm, competing across traditional broadcasting, gaming, live TV streaming and SNS industries. It is an exciting tale in the history of social networking.
Originality/value
This study significantly contributes to the marketing history of social network sites and platform-specific scholarship by applying the Resource-Advantage theory to document the evolution of YouTube.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges helpful remarks from Professor Shelby Hunt (Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA) on an earlier version of this paper. The author wishes to thank the editor, Professor Richard A. Hawkins, and two anonymous reviewers for their guidance and support throughout the review process. The author also acknowledges the generous research support provided by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Citation
Newaz, M.T. (2023), "Social network sites and competition: a tale of YouTube, 2005–2015", Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 225-242. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHRM-07-2022-0020
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited