A bit of confusion, a safe haven for ads, and automated solutions: Tremor Media's CRO Randy Kilgore, a 15-year media vet, ponders the next steps for YouTube.

Editor's Note: This article is part of our special series on Google's acquisition of YouTube, with commentary and analysis from practitioners and thought leaders throughout the industry, including: 
 
A roundup of news from around the net
Search Editor Kevin Ryan wondering, where's the ROI?
Criticism of mainstream coverage by columnist Mark Naples
Briefings of the deal's implications from top online marketers
Perspective on where YouTube will fit into Google's growth
How AdSense may be integrated within YouTube

Ranging from the 30,000 foot perspective to the deeply practical, our contributors will help you make sense of the latest shift in the media landscape.

Randy Kilgore is chief revenue officer of Tremor Media, responsible for managing the company's sales and inventory growth, expanding its relationships with advertisers and publishers, and overseeing the development of new strategic initiatives. Tremor Media provides advertisers with in-banner and in-stream video advertising opportunities on top-tier publisher sites, and provides publishers with a full suite of products and services to monetize streaming video and maximize ROI. We asked Kilgore to comment on Google's acquisition this week of YouTube for $1.65 million and what the deal means for marketers.

Mario Sgambelluri: What does Google's acquisition of YouTube mean for marketers?

Randy Kilgore: At first, probably more confusion. Will they sell pre-roll or focus on reading keywords and placing contextual ads? It will certainly mean that more and more light will be shed on the online video space, especially with regard to user-generated content. Marketers have been realizing the need to get their arms around online video in general and Google will bring massive resources and credibility to the space. Marketers will have to accelerate the commitment to online video advertising. It means more pressure, but more opportunity for all of us in this space. 

Sgambelluri: Do you think Google will take steps to clean up the content at YouTube and proactively purge copy write-infringing content? Maybe take other steps to make YouTube a safer place for marketers? Or will that compromise what users love about the site?

Kilgore: Google will most likely look to use technology to segregate "untouchable" content from that which advertisers will gladly accept. Google is too smart to mess with the user loyalty that exists, but indeed Google is still seen as a cool brand and will have more permission to tinker than others.

Sgambelluri: Any marketing innovations (whether creative or on the planning/buying front) to expect?

Kilgore: Google will continue to push the envelope on buying and reporting in ways that are more automated for marketers. But these applications will be much more useful for marketers with direct response campaigns than large branding efforts. And more and more of the money moving into online video is going toward branding. Certainly there will be innovation and discipline brought to the process of monetizing user-generated content. 

Sgambelluri: What will the fate of Google Video be?

Kilgore: Ultimately Google won't support two competing brands with the same ad sales force, so we anticipate a marriage of Google Video and YouTube.

Sgambelluri: Currently, Google Video has a lot of video that you have to pay for. If they merge Google Video and YouTube, is there a chance that a part of YouTube will someday resemble iTunes?

Kilgore: It seems unlikely that Google would pursue an iTunes model when they now have such fantastic scale to monetize via their existing ad pool.

Sgambelluri: Was this acquisition a surprise?

Kilgore: It wasn't a surprise that YouTube's management sought to capitalize on their huge success at aggregating eyeballs. The real question has always been: "How can they monetize the model?" So it makes sense that there was a bidding war and the portals were on top, because the portals are expert at monetizing eyeballs and they always need more traffic.

Sgambelluri: Now that there's a well to tap, are the copy write-infringement lawsuits coming?

Kilgore: Presumably, Google went into this with open eyes and has a mitigating strategy, but, of course, their lawyers will be busy and of course there was plenty of last minute activity before the deal was closed.

Sgambelluri: Google wants to organize the universe. How will their information indexing forces come to bear on the new Google/YouTube model?  

Kilgore: Cracking the code to search video effectively just became that much more important and therefore so much more "content" will be easily found.

Sgambelluri: This acquisition marks a shift in Google's growth strategy. This morning I heard one analyst say the YouTube acquisition was greater in price than all of Google's previous acquisitions combined. Looking into your crystal ball, where does Google go from here?

Kilgore: This doesn't seem like that much of a shift. Online video is universally recognized not just as the hot spot of the market today but as a sustainable growth area as well. And Google knows they can apply technology and ad sales expertise to make the investment pay off. Of course, it's still possible they'll buy the United States of America and once and for all index the entire country. Maybe then I can find some of those socks I thought the dryer ate.

Mario Sgambelluri is managing editor, iMedia Connection. Read full bio.