When Did YouTube Start and What Was the First YouTube Video?

This Ultimate Guide lays out how a small idea became a giant in online video. The platform was founded on February 14, 2005, in San Mateo by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. They were former PayPal staff who wanted an easy way to share clips.

The first video, titled Me at the zoo, went live on April 23, 2005, at 3:27:12 UTC. That 18‑second clip helped show how simple uploads could spark interest. Early product choices made viewing and sharing smooth, so users flocked to the site within months.

By October 2006 Google paid $1.65 billion in stock for the video-sharing platform. That deal confirmed its rapid rise from a basic hub for short videos to a dominant destination for all kinds of clips. This introduction previews why those first moves mattered for the growth of online video and creator culture.

Quick Answer: When YouTube Started and the First Video Explained

Here are the key dates and moments that set the platform in motion. YouTube created on February 14, 2005, when three former PayPal staff began building a simple place to share clips.

Just weeks later, Jawed Karim uploaded the first video, titled Me at the zoo, on April 23, 2005. That 18‑second clip was filmed at the San Diego Zoo and showed how easy a quick video uploaded could draw attention.

• Public beta launched in May 2005, opening the site to early users.
• By September 2005, a Nike ad with Ronaldinho became the first to hit one million views, marking the first time brands saw viral potential.
• This short timeline links creation, the inaugural clip, and fast growth into a tidy answer.

Founders and Origin Story: How Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim Created YouTube

A modest San Mateo room above a pizza shop became the launchpad for a major video-sharing platform. The creation moved fast because three former PayPal staff shared a clear product goal: make uploading, viewing, and sharing clips simple for anyone.

Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim split roles across design, engineering, and user experience. Their PayPal background helped them solve payment-scale problems and focus on reliable playback. By focusing on ease, they shaped how people thought about short video content.

The team bootstrapped the early site from that tiny workspace. Early testers found uploads quick and viewing smooth, which sparked organic growth.

Sequoia Capital provided seed backing that scaled servers and bandwidth. With funding secured, the team pushed a public beta in May 2005, proving the platform could handle growing video traffic. That push made it clear why many say youtube created a new era for online clips.

When Did YouTube Start and What Was the First YouTube Video?

Early 2005 moved fast. A clear timeline shows how a private founding became a public service. The company was created on February 14, 2005, when three ex-PayPal staff teamed to build a simple upload site.

Creation date vs public milestones

The inaugural clip arrived on April 23, 2005, giving the public a first look at how short clips could work. A beta opened in May 2005, letting users upload and share videos during early testing.

After capacity issues and growth, Sequoia Capital invested. That funding helped servers and bandwidth, so the platform left beta on December 15, 2005. By late that year the site had become a familiar destination for online clips.

• Creation: Feb 14, 2005 — founders Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, Jawed Karim.
• Public upload: Apr 23, 2005 — first short video appeared.
• Beta launch: May 2005; full launch: Dec 15, 2005 after investment.

“Me at the zoo”: The First YouTube Video by Jawed Karim

A short, candid clip filmed at a zoo became an enduring digital landmark. The 18‑second piece was uploaded by jawed karim on April 23, 2005. The file’s timestamp shows 3:27:12 UTC, and it was shot at the San Diego Zoo.

The simple scene highlights how easy the site made sharing everyday moments. That ease helped prove quick uploads could reach many viewers.

Upload specifics: April 23–24, 2005 and the San Diego Zoo setting

The short runtime and casual style contrasted sharply with polished promotional clips. Within months, brands and creators tested reach. By september 2005, a Nike Ronaldinho ad became a clear example of a viral video on this platform.

• Clip: “Me at the zoo” — filmed at the San Diego Zoo.
• Uploader: Jawed Karim, co‑founder.
• Details: 18 seconds; timestamp 3:27:12 UTC; uploaded Apr 23, 2005.
• Impact: Showed how a basic video uploaded could spread, paving way for viral video moments.

Early Growth Before Google: Beta, First Million Views, and Viral Momentum

Beta access in May 2005 unlocked a flow of uploads that spread beyond the platform. Simple embed codes let creators place clips on blogs, message boards, and early social sites. That ease of sharing drove fast discovery.

May–September 2005: Beta, embeds, and a viral milestone

After may 2005 the site proved its reach as clips traveled across the web. By september 2005 a Nike Ronaldinho ad hit one million views, a clear sign that a single clip could become a viral video quickly.

Features added in 2005 that boosted engagement

In 2005 the team added HTML embedding, a 5‑star rating system, playlists, subscriptions, and fullscreen viewing. These system added youtube enhancements helped viewers find, rate, and save favorite clips.

• Embedding: let publishers pull audiences back to the site.
• Ratings and playlists: improved discovery and session length.
• Subscriptions and fullscreen: made it easy to follow creators and enjoy longer viewing.

Google’s $1.65 Billion Acquisition and the Move to Headquarters in San Bruno

Google’s 2006 purchase reshaped how online clips would be hosted and monetized. In October 2006 Google acquired the company for $1.65 billion in stock. The deal joined a massive audience with Google’s ad systems and search power.

The brand stayed independent and kept its headquarters in San Bruno. The site experience remained familiar while infrastructure work moved behind the scenes.

Deal logic: scale, ads, and product continuity

Strategically, the move fused video discovery with an ad platform able to monetize large view counts. Prior backing from Sequoia Capital and fast viral growth made the target attractive that year.

Key staff, including Chad Hurley and Steve Chen, stayed on to guide product direction. Roughly 65 employees continued at San Bruno, ensuring continuity for creators and users.

• Scale: access to Google servers eased hosting limits.
• Monetization: ads could now support creators and operations.
• Independence: brand identity and community remained intact.

Features and Platform Evolution: From Ratings to YouTube Studio and Premium

Platform upgrades steadily moved the service from simple sharing to a full creator ecosystem. Early launches focused on discovery: HTML embeds, playlists, subscriptions, and a five‑star rating system added to the site to boost engagement.

2005–2009: embeds, ratings shift, quality, captions

Embeds let creators spread clips across blogs and forums. By 2009 higher fidelity arrived with 1080p and automatic captions, expanding reach and accessibility.

The five‑star model later became thumbs up/down after a rating system added change that simplified feedback for viewers.

2010–2016: resolution, live, originals, music experiments

Support for 4K uploads and a Live platform broadened content types. Original channels and subscription tests like Music Key—tied to Google Play Music—led into a paid offering named youtube red.

2018–2021: premium, studio, chapters, ads, permissions

youtube premium replaced earlier models while ad pods and a refreshed youtube studio improved monetization and creator workflows. Chapter markers, bedtime reminders, and granular permissions refined both viewing and channel management.

• Discoverability: embeds, playlists, subscriptions
• Quality: 1080p, 4K
• Accessibility: auto captions
• Creator tools: youtube studio, permissions

Monetization and the YouTube Partner Program: How Channels Earn Money

A formal revenue path arrived in May 2007, giving creators new ways to earn. The youtube partner program began revenue sharing through AdSense. That move let many content creators monetize uploads after meeting eligibility rules.

Ad-based income, eligibility, and Shorts updates

To join the partner program, a typical path required policy compliance, 1,000 subscribers, and 4,000 public watch hours within 12 months. Channels also needed a linked AdSense account for payouts.

Ad formats evolved. The platform added ad pods with two ads sometimes shown back-to-back, and Shorts-era updates broadened who could earn from short-form videos.

Beyond ads: memberships, rentals, and partnerships

Creators earn money from multiple sources. Channel memberships let fans pay monthly for perks while pay‑per‑view rentals offer one-time buys for select video content.

• Sponsored videos and affiliate links deliver direct brand deals and commissions.
• Subscription service revenue from youtube premium is shared with creators based on watch time.
• youtube studio reveals which videos drive income so creators can optimize strategies.

Conclusion

A single short clip set a clear path from a small project to a global platform. In 2005, youtube created a place where content creators like chad hurley and jawed karim proved everyday video could reach millions. That year marked a turning point for video content and creator communities.

Over time, youtube launches such as music key, youtube red, and youtube premium expanded offerings. The platform also added features like two ads and robust youtube studio tools that help channels improve quality and manage uploads.

After the 1.65 billion deal with youtube google and a move to headquarters san bruno, the site grew to support billions of videos. Today content creators use the partner program to earn money and scale channels through better analytics, uploads, and music-friendly formats.