Going ape over MySpace

While video-sharing site YouTube was emerging into a full-fledged Web sensation, it got a big break from a legion of MySpace devotees.

Late last year, users of the popular social networking site glommed onto YouTube, which made it easy to embed video snippets in their personal pages at MySpace. YouTube's popularity soared.

``MySpace was a big part of YouTube's traffic,'' said spokeswoman Christine Schirmer. YouTube has, of course, since become a go-to site itself. If it was ever dependent on MySpace, ``that's no longer the case.''

YouTube's ignition by MySpace hasn't gone unnoticed. Many more Silicon Valley start-ups, and the venture capitalists that are backing them, long to ride the coattails of the Los Angeles-based Internet giant. They hope to serve MySpace users with everything from new voicemail services, to photo slide shows, to new browsing technology -- all with the secret desire that they'll become the next favorite technology, anointed by MySpace buzz.

``MySpace is clearly the 800-pound gorilla,'' said venture capitalist Tom Cole of Trinity Ventures. Photobucket, the image-sharing service Trinity backs, has benefited mightily from MySpace traffic. Cole argues Photobucket could easily survive if MySpace didn't exist, but added: ``We happen to have a lot of customers in common.''

Still, the MySpace effect has been huge for Photobucket.

``Without MySpace, I sincerely doubt that Photobucket would be where it is today,'' said Pete Cashmore, an industry consultant. He said MySpace referrals were responsible for 56 percent of Photobucket's traffic in June.