When YouTube first started, it was just a platform where people could upload videos for free. Now, with more than 500 hours worth of content being uploaded on a daily basis, the platform has become an opportunity for creators to monetize their channels, giving birth to a whole industry. The rapid expansion of YouTube from a platform for expressing oneself to a platform for earning money lead to the development of the Multi Channel Network (MCN) business model.
Multi channel networks (MCNs) are essentially companies or businesses which partner with multiple YouTube channels and offer a series of services to them. From audience development, to content programming, creator collaborations and digital rights management, Multi Channel Networks offer a comprehensive plan for channels and creators to perform better.
Simply put, a MCN is an organisation which works with YouTube to assist a creator with product, programming, funding, cross promotion, partner management, digital rights management, monetisation, sales and audience development. With time, this model grew so quick and so large, the format started including not just small channels, but the large ones as well. Through the years, the MCN as a business model has seen exponential growth.
The different forms of YouTube Partners:
First things first, there are not one, but three types of networks which work with YouTube –
- Multi channel networks
- Virtual networks or sub networks
- Content Aggregators
While MCNs provide end to end services including collaborations and aggregations, virtual networks streamline processes like finding new talent and optimizing the content or the channel. Content aggregators, on the other hand, either work independently or under multi channel networks and subnetworks. Content aggregators, as the name suggests, work with multiple content creators who produce similar type of content for their channels.
How MCNs work
There is a simple way to understand how MCNs work. Working directly with YouTube, MCNs are given access to a content management system (CMS.) Going from channel to channel, these MCNs are further given a unique ID (called Content ID,) which helps owners work with copyright content and stick to the authenticity of the channel in its entirety. Further, from providing creators with channel growth strategies to website support and to giving your channel a wide reach, MCNs help in the better performance of not just your channel’s videos, but your overall channel. Different channel genres can be maintained using different content management systems. The CMS provides capabilities to the MCN and to multiple users with different permission levels to manage and maintain the channel. Therefore, in other words, MCNs are independent companies which aren’t owned by YouTube, but work parallely with the video sharing platform.
Types Of MCN Partners:
Increasing a brand’s online presence is never easy and probably the biggest challenge. MCNs help with this first hurdle. Understanding how a MCN works will help you understand how content has the opportunity to reach a vast majority of people, thereby creating a digital presence.
The idea of content and revenue sharing as a business model started evolving as the number of videos uploaded on YouTube and the number of monthly active users started increasing exponentially. The more popularity YouTube gained, the more the MCN format started taking shape, giving people an increased idea of what promoting a business on the internet could achieve.
Multi channel networks work to develop a channel through every means possible. From optimising the channel, to monetizing the content and making sure this content reaches the audience, MCNs work on building the overall brand. Further, by creating an opportunity for collaborations and promotions, MCNs help in improving the online brand value of the creator as well. To get a clear understanding of what MCNs are, it is important to understand the different types of partnerships they offer:
- Affiliate Channels
Affiliate channels, in simple terms, are creator channels that work along with a MCN to increase their reach and improve their watchtime, among other things. The content for the channel is created by the affiliate creator and the MCN is mainly responsible for maintaining the channel, monetization, publishing and copyrights.
- Owned & Operated Channels
Owned and operated channels are channels created by the MCNs and are used to publish a variety of content. The MCNs are the content creators and the promoters. They are responsible for the creation, deployment and maintenance of these in-house channels.
What You Should Do Before Joining A MCN
Joining and working with an MCN is a simple, easy and straightforward process. Any channel at any given time can approach a MCN to help them optimize their content. While the basics of joining a MCN remain the same, here are a few tips that could streamline the entire process:
- Define your content strategy
The first step to approach a MCN is to solidify your content plan. A complete guide, including the content to be published along with a strategic development plan, are an integral part of this stage. Understand the type of content that will be published and set an overall goal for the channel.
- Start by curating your content
Build the content base of all the videos and a database of the types of videos to be published. Curating your content helps in preparing for the upcoming months and acts as a credibility factor.
- Work on creating a business plan
A business plan is the pitch which will be used to attract any MCN. Business plans detail the objectives, vision and end goals of the channel, thereby giving MCNs a compelling reason to work with you.
The benefits of working with MCNS
When it comes to working with MCNs, there are several major pros. Here are some of the benefits one can get when working with a MCN:
- Access to talent
Believe it or not, YouTube is the go to platform for a lot of talent. Some of the biggest celebrities in the world such as Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes were initially YouTube creators. As MCNs have access to a variety of content creators, they provides new creators with the opportunity to collaborate with bigger channels or brands and grow their numbers.
- An increase of visibility for your channel
Partnering with a MCN helps in propelling your channel to the front. One of the primary advantages of working with MCNs lies in the fact that through affiliate networks, MCNs help you reach a wider audience, push your content to the mass, thereby promoting the channel as a brand.
- Increase your connections
When it comes to working with a MCN, one of the primary benefits is, you can increase your connections. From finding the right kind of collaborations, to giving your channel the reach it needs, MCNs help give your brand the push it needs despite the genre with which you are working.
As mentioned previously, meeting and working with other creators, big and small, is easier with a MCN. They also look at product integrations, creating branded content and other marketing tools to push the channel and the product.
- Monetization
MCNs help in working to ensure the channel does not lose its monetization, keep a track of the copyright content and take down any video using your channel’s content. Through endorsements, optimization of content and end to end promotional services, MCNs help in increasing the revenue you earn through the videos on your channel.
How MCNs Help Your Channel Grow
With the market and internet evolving on a regular basis, the trends are also changing constantly. From understanding the trends of the YouTube world, to making the most of all the available statistics, MCNs push the YouTube business to the fore. While there are several MCNs which are great at what they do, Whacked Out Media works by understanding the functions and the basics of YouTube. With over 8 years of experience in the industry, WOM grew to become a leading force in the YouTube and YouTube marketing industry. As one of the largest MCNs in India, WOM has all the expertise it needs to put your channel on the top of the charts immediately!
