Amazon Challenges YouTube With Video Direct, Showers Cash On Content Creators

If you're a content creator tied to YouTube and are itchin' for a change, Amazon's brand-new 'Video Direct' service is probably worth checking out. Amazon Video Direct is going to be a viable competitor to YouTube, but offers a little more flexibility with how you manage your content. And, because Amazon is behind all of this, you can expect excellent integration with the company's affiliate service.

When content creators want to release their video on this service, they'll have four ways to do it. If everyone on planet Earth is welcome to watch, then the video will be ad-supported. Otherwise, it could be rented, offered as an add-on subscription, or be exclusive to Amazon Prime Video, where the creators will earn part of the per-hour royalty fee.

Amazon is going to be paying content creators 50 percent of the revenue earned if subscription-based options are chosen, with total revenue being capped at $75,000 if the Prime Video option is chosen. Why is there a cap? Only Amazon knows; but if you're a massive publisher, you're very likely able to work out alternative agreements with the company.

So far, the service has gained favorable reactions, with Conde Nast, HowStuffWorks, Mashable, Guardian, Business Insider, and Machinima being a select few of those jumping on board.

Interestingly, Amazon also has a bonus pool of $1 million to reward top-performing video publishers. That sounds great, but for the regular content creator, Amazon's affiliate account might end up proving to be the best possible way to earn the big bucks. People will already be on Amazon, after all, and probably already in the mindset that they are ready to purchase something.

Can Amazon Video Direct possibly dethrone YouTube as the world leader in online video? Probably not, but it's at least great to have an alternative option.