How would you measure the success of YouTube Music?

Introduction

Measuring the success of YouTube Music requires a comprehensive approach that considers multiple stakeholders and various aspects of the product. To effectively evaluate YouTube Music's performance, I'll follow a structured framework covering core metrics, supporting indicators, and risk factors while considering all key stakeholders.

Step 1

Product Context (5 minutes)

YouTube Music is a music streaming service that offers both free ad-supported and premium subscription tiers. It provides users with access to millions of songs, music videos, and live performances. The key stakeholders include:

1. Users: Seeking a seamless music listening experience
2. Artists and Labels: Looking for exposure and revenue
3. Advertisers: Targeting music listeners (for the free tier)
4. YouTube/Google: Aiming to capture market share in music streaming

User flow:

1. Open app/website
2. Search or browse for music
3. Play songs, create playlists, or explore recommendations
4. Interact with content (like, share, add to playlist)

YouTube Music fits into Google's broader strategy of expanding its ecosystem and capturing user attention across various media types. It competes directly with Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, differentiating itself through its integration with YouTube's vast video library.

Product Lifecycle Stage: Growth phase - YouTube Music is still expanding its user base and feature set, competing for market share against established players.

Software-specific context:

• Platform: Cross-platform (web, iOS, Android)
• Integration points: YouTube main platform, Google account system
• Deployment model: Cloud-based streaming service with regular app updates