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Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

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Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#101
post #99
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's revenue, so before paying off content creators.

Did they mention how much they were paying to content creators? ( Sorry dont have the time to read through it right now )

$1

Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#102
post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ad remember: see the sibling comment. And yes, Google getting me to subscribe to YouTube Premium is obviously a win for Google. However, if the most attractive thing about your Product A is that it's "not Product B", that doesn't really build the kind of long-term relationship with your customer that you'd like. The end result being me currently evaluating whether I need the YouTube Apps at all.

That's a pretty big negative spin on the "free + ads or pay" business model. Isn't that the model we all want? We all complain about ads, but what alternative is there other than to pay money? I gladly pay for content in exchange to avoid ads if I can. I'm fine with ad-blocking "morally" when there is no other option, but I'm not OK with blocking ads on services that offer a reasonable price to avoid ads. Of course,…

> That's a pretty big negative spin on the "free + ads or pay" business model. Isn't that the model we all want? We all complain about ads, but what alternative is there other than to pay money?

That's a good argument! I admit that I fully support the free + ads business model.

Thinking a bit more about this, I believe what irked me about the YouTube experience is (1) that I was repeatedly (ad nauseam) shown the very same ads, and (2) that the frequency was continuously increased to the point where the free+ads version was no longer watchable.

I already expressed what how I feel about (1), and (2) just feels like the wrong kind of pressure, because it impairs the product.

Here are two alternatives to (2) that I would have considered more effective: (A) mark a channel as "favorite" and watch those videos with zero ads, and (B) watch the first 100 videos a month with zero ads.

In both of those cases, I can see someone meeting me half-way. In its current form, it's just increasing and increasing the level on nagware.

Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#103
post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a pretty big negative spin on the "free + ads or pay" business model. Isn't that the model we all want? We all complain about ads, but what alternative is there other than to pay money? I gladly pay for content in exchange to avoid ads if I can. I'm fine with ad-blocking "morally" when there is no other option, but I'm not OK with blocking ads on services that offer a reasonable price to avoid ads. Of course,…

> That's a pretty big negative spin on the "free + ads or pay" business model. Isn't that the model we all want? We all complain about ads, but what alternative is there other than to pay money? That's a good argument! I admit that I fully support the free + ads business model. Thinking a bit more about this, I believe what irked me about the YouTube experience is (1) that I was repeatedly (ad nauseam) shown the very…

Who’s going to pay the creators who are losing all the ad money in your possible examples? Anecdotally, myself and at least a third of my friends don’t watch more than 100 videos a month. Regardless. Of the people that do. That’s still 100 videos where ad money isn’t received. For normal creators and all the music up on YouTube, don’t they still want their money?

Unless the presumption is 100 videos with ads each month will lead to more overall ad video views. Or people turning off ad blockers or whatever people use. I find both hard to believe.

Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About three months ago, I visited a friend and we looked up a 15-minute cooking recipe. We were shown three ads in the process. I subscribed to Premium quite early. They were showing me an IKEA bed ad multiple times a day, over a number of days. 3-4 different ads, but always the same product. The end result being that I will sleep on the ground before I ever purchase a Nordli bed.

This surprises me - from desktop with ublock origin and ghostery, I never, ever see any youtube ads. Just a regular free gmail account. When I see what crap is shown at friends places when they use TV to browse youtube, I want to run away (I am physically allergic to ads it seems). Is this due to some demographic algorithm or something else?

What do you mean? You have ad blockers on. So you don’t see ads. That’s your base. When you do see ads. It’s extremely annoying because it’s way above your base.

OTOH, friend watching YouTube on tv is used to seeing ads. That’s their base. So it’s not as bad.

If all ad blockers stopped working right now forever. You would likely adapt and be more or less fine with (albeit more annoyed) in due time. Not like your friends relish the ads either.

Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone on their phone, that is, because unless you use PiHole I don't know if it's possible to block it on mobile.

Or, you know, pay for YouTube Red

This is HN. Blocking ads scot-free is the moral thing to do for a a fairly large amt of commenters.

Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People constantly criticizing companies not taking long-term bets. When some company does take long-term bets, then some internet expert come along and find some arbitrary timeline to succeed without any justification and start criticizing without offering anything any substantial. I wish we can have more thoughtful discussion, instead of Twitter style self aggrandizing comments.

You don’t find it disconcerting that none of Google’s non advertising bets have been successful. Compare Google’s revenue and profit mix to Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.

This is more of a reply to your child comment about Pixel sales, but because this is a day old and unlikely to get any attention or replies as is. I’m posting this here:

I’ll prob geek out and look this up later. I’d be interested in the difference of products in their categories between the major tech companies:

Google: Pixel, Nest, Google Home, Chrome stick

Microsoft: Xbox, Surface tablets/laptops, upcoming Surface phone

Amazon: Ring doorbell, Ring’s other stuff, Alexa Echo/Dot, all the other Alexa devices, Fire tablets, Fire stick

Facebook: Portal, Oculus

Just to throw Apple in here outside their core: HomePod, ?

I’m sure I’m missing some things. Perhaps a company or two as well. Anyone know of anything else or something I wrote down wrong?

There’s also differences between market share and profitability/losses. Apple makes money with [almost] all hardware. While I think Alexa devices don’t make a profit though seem pretty dominant.

Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#107
post #6

Quarter after quarter G seaxeh results turn into ads. At some point there won't be any organic free results and all search results will be paid placements. Which is now 80% true

It’s not 80% true at all. It won’t ever get that far. It’s incredibly saturated now. But companies know there are limits. As an easy example. Facebook stock tanked for a bit partly because they lowered guidance and expectation for their ads. Especially IG ads. As they had saturated how many they can add and push.

Re: Alphabet announces fourth quarter and fiscal year 2019 results [pdf]

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don’t find it disconcerting that none of Google’s non advertising bets have been successful. Compare Google’s revenue and profit mix to Amazon, Apple and Microsoft.

This is more of a reply to your child comment about Pixel sales, but because this is a day old and unlikely to get any attention or replies as is. I’m posting this here: I’ll prob geek out and look this up later. I’d be interested in the difference of products in their categories between the major tech companies: Google: Pixel, Nest, Google Home, Chrome stick Microsoft: Xbox, Surface tablets/laptops, upcoming Surface…

My point isn’t so much that the Pixel itself has a low sales volume, but more that Google is almost completely reliant on advertising for profits despite their “other bets” for over two decades.

Compare that to Apple’s product mix.

https://sixcolors.com/images/content/2020/financials-2020-1-...

If you go more fine grained on wearables, it’s estimated that Apple Watch and headphones taken individually or both larger than the iPod ever was.

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