If you visited Vevo’s website during the last month or so, you may have seen a message similar to that shown below stating:
“From June 6, 2018 head over to youtube.com/vevo to keep watching your favorite music videos.”
Vevo has shuttered elements of its consumer-facing website and mobile apps as it shifts towards growth opportunities on YouTube and other outlets, including original content and artist development. Now when you head to Vevo.com, you’ll see rotating cards directing you to the different types of original content on YouTube: exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and live performances.
The majority of Vevo’s audience, which watches over 1 billion hours of content per month, has connected through YouTube, while Vevo has also long operated its own consumer website and apps for mobile and smart TVs. Vevo will continue to distribute its videos to smart TVs in the same way, but it has shut down its website and mobile apps and offered users the ability to move their saved playlists over to a YouTube account.
Vevo’s videos will be primarily available through YouTube, although Vevo is also looking into additional hosts for its videos. “Going forward, Vevo will remain focused on engaging the biggest audiences and pursuing growth opportunities,” the company said in a statement. “Our catalog of premium music videos and original content will continue to reach a growing audience on YouTube and we are exploring ways to work with additional platforms to further expand access to Vevo’s content.” For now, Vevo’s 330,000 videos can be found on its main YouTube page, its various international channels, and the many artist channels it controls.
Vevo will continue producing original content and artist development programs, such as its Dscvr and LIFT programs, with plans to expand in that area as well. “Connecting artists to new audiences, while helping tell their stories, and growing an advertising-based revenue stream that benefits all of our partners, are key considerations that drive how we develop and adapt our business,” according to Vevo. “Belief in the power of the music videos will always remain at Vevo’s core.”
For artists and labels with videos on Vevo, not much should change as long as videos were sent to one of Vevo’s YouTube channels. Vevo’s operational processes are the same, and any videos sent there will remain in their system. Videos sent only to Vevo’s owned and operated platform will remain in the system as well, but will have to be sent to a YouTube channel before being available there. Vevo will also “continue to be the primary seller of Vevo-specific advertising on all distribution platforms – including the sponsorship of video premieres.”
Although the array of platforms has changed, Vevo is continuing with its focus on both distributing quality music videos and producing its own content, with an eye on up-and-coming artists. You can continue to see all Vevo’s videos youtube.com/user/vevo and its many other YouTube channels.
