[takinola]

I think the secret was being acquired by Google. Without the deep financial pockets and strategic patience of Google, I doubt they would have been able to become what they are today.

[Kye]

How YouTube would pay for itself was one of those top topics back in that thin slice of time between when YouTube took off and Google bought it.

The Techmeme page from the day of the announcement (October 9, 2006) if you want to dig into it: https://www.techmeme.com/061009/h2355