When Was YouTube Created and What Was the First Video on YouTube? A Complete Brief

YouTube is the world’s largest video platform, with 2.53 billion monthly active users as of 2025. This indicates that roughly one out of three people on Earth uses YouTube monthly at the time of writing this.

But when was YouTube created? How did it get so big? Did the founders always envision such a great success? Was it always going to be a platform for videos? And if so, what was the first video on YouTube?

If you want the answer to these questions, check out this blog post, as it features details about YouTube’s creation, its first ever video, and much more. 

So, let’s delve in here. Shall we?

When Was YouTube Created?

Let’s start this discussion with one of the most asked questions: when did YouTube come out? Well, this magic happened in February 2005 in San Mateo, California, at the hands of:

• Chad Hurley
• Jawed Karim
• Steve Chen

So, it wasn’t a one person’s effort—it was the work of three former PayPal employees.

But if we talk about the key milestones, the domain (youtube.com) was registered on Valentine’s Day (14th February) of the year 2005. However, the public launch of this platform happened on 23rd April, 2005, with the following slogan:

“Tune In, Hook Up”

Was YouTube Always Going to Be a Video Platform?

When YouTube founders initially created it, its actual use case wasn’t clear. In a 2016 conference, one of the founders of YouTube—Steve Chen—said:

We always planned to make it a video platform, but the specific practical application was unclear. We assumed that dating would be an obvious decision. However, people disagreed.

Ref: YouTube was meant to be a video-dating website

When we dug deep into this, we found that creators initially wanted videos where people were talking about the partners of their dreams. In fact, they even offered to pay $20 to women for uploading videos of themselves, but the whole idea didn’t work. 

And that’s when the three masterminds decided to adopt a different strategy and opened YouTube for all kinds of videos—not just dating.

What Was the First Video on YouTube?

Now that you’ve got the answer to the first part of your question—when was YouTube created?— let’s move to the second portion—the first-ever upload.

The first video on YouTube goes by the title of ‘Me at the zoo.’ It features a German-American individual who is about 26 years old and talking about elephants at the San Diego Zoo.

The interesting thing about the video is that the guy featured in it is none other than Jawed Karim, one of the YouTube co-founders. His friends—not the creators of YouTube—filmed the video, and he shared it on the platform.  As of today, it has 376 million views.

The video is quite simple and spontaneous. In fact, that’s exactly why it has become a symbolic beginning of YouTube, as the video indicates the early signs of the future look of the platform.

The Main Purpose of YouTube

Now that we’ve addressed the main questions—when was YouTube created and what was the first-ever video—let’s find out why there was a need for such a platform.

Let’s be honest! Before YouTube, sharing videos was never simple. This was a huge market gap that founders noticed, which ultimately led to the creation of the platform.

As you can see, the interface of YouTube, be it on the web or app, is really simple. That’s because founders mainly wanted to engage ‘non-computer experts’ in uploading real and everyday moments. And look where we are right now—the era of family vlogging.

So, it’s safe to say that the founders have successfully achieved YouTube’s aim.

Conclusion

All in all, the story of YouTube showcases how a simple idea can turn into a global powerhouse. What began in February 2005 as an uncertain experiment by three former PayPal employees soon became the internet’s biggest video platform. From its first-ever upload to today’s era of daily vlogs, educational content, entertainment, and full-blown careers, YouTube has come a long way. At its core, the platform succeeded because it removed the barriers to sharing videos online. Instead of merely creating a website, the three founders opened a new world of expression where anyone could upload, watch, learn, and connect. So, it won’t be wrong to say that YouTube has reshaped how the world communicates. And judging by its growth, the journey is far from over.

Frequently Asked Questions About the History of YouTube

What is the 7-second rule on YouTube?

The 7-second rule refers to the idea of grabbing viewers’ attention in the beginning seven seconds of the video. That’s mainly because people quickly decide whether they want to watch something or not. So, it is essential to hook them as early as possible.

What is YouTube in brief?

YouTube is a video-sharing platform where anyone can upload or watch various types of videos. It’s not only for entertainment, but it’s also a source of cash for many creators, who now work full-time on YouTube.

What was the first video on YouTube?

The first video on YouTube was about elephants at the San Diego Zoo.

When did YouTube become popular?

Between 2005 and 2006, this platform quickly started gaining massive popularity. However, the major rise came when Google bought it for $1.65 billion in stock in November 2006.

Who made YouTube? | Who created YouTube?

Three former PayPal employees—Chad Hurley, Jawed Karim, and Steve Chen—created YouTube.

Why and when was YouTube created?

YouTube came into existence because there was no easy way of sharing videos on the internet. So, creators found this market gap and publicly launched the platform in April 2005 after registering the domain in February 2005.

Alan Mike

Alan Mike is a seasoned website content writer specializing in SEO-friendly, engaging content. With expertise in various industries, Mike creates clear, informative, and compelling copy to boost user engagement and drive organic traffic for clients.