YouTube Expands Pilot Ad Program

Google Inc.'s YouTube said Monday it will expand its pilot advertising program to a select number of amateurs, giving more users a shot to make money from their homemade videos.

YouTube said it will accept applications from amateurs to become part of its program that splices ads into online videos. The video makers will share in the resulting revenue. Until now, YouTube hand-picked a select group of major media companies and independent video creators for its pilot advertising program.

"Even in this limited release, the program has been an amazing success _ already, millions of video views each week are earning revenue for our partners," YouTube said on its company blog.

YouTube said it will screen prospective participants, with a focus on video creators who regularly add new content to the site, who already have a following and who comply with the site's posting guidelines.

The video creators decide which of their videos they want to include advertising. YouTube didn't say what share of ad revenue its partners will keep, but generally firms that originate videos keep a majority of ad revenue associated with their content.

YouTube said the expanded program is open to anyone living in the U.S. or Canada, but it may be rolled out to other countries soon.