• by Ross Fadner , July 2, 2012

Last week, YouTube announced a new platform that gives advertisers, small businesses and brands direct access to YouTube’s most popular content creators.

Called the Video Creation Marketplace, the new platform’s purpose is to link brands and agencies to YouTube partners, who can serve as resources to brands and agencies looking to create video ads or content. The hub will also notify advertisers about the most popular videos on YouTube, which are potential sources of media dollars.

"The creativity coming out of YouTube rivals that coming out of creative agencies any day of the week," YouTube group product manager Baljeet Singh said. "And we already know that their content performs really well on YouTube."

"If you're a boutique shoe designer and don't have the resources of a huge luxury goods retailer, but still have a great story to tell in video, this marketplace might be a step towards helping get your brand in front of one of the biggest audiences ever assembled," added Singh.