'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAxSmD/8QAIRAAAgEEAAcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFEQYTFSExQYH/2gAIAQEAAT8AfiLJ3+StI55+YY5FghRgAqhTryAD9OzXUMkOywY8D0NNX//EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABIf/aAAgBAgEBPwBU/8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAwEBPwB//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On August 9, 2024, former YouTube CEO, Susan Wojcicki, passed away because of non-small cell lung cancer, something she'd been battling for over two years. She played a pivotal role in YouTube's success, with the site currently boasting a user base of over 2.5 billion people. A majority of this growth came between 2014 and 2023, which is the period Wojcicki functioned as CEO of the company.
As such, many believe she was instrumental in not only the platform's success but in its creators' growth as well. A popular YouTuber and streamer, Ludwig, is of the same opinion.
Through a recent post on X, he paid his respects:
"Damn. Super sad to hear the news of Susan's passing. She was the force behind YouTube when I went from a fan to an aspiring creator, to calling YouTube my home."
Trending
Ludwig recalls fond memories of interview with Susan Wojcicki as YouTube CEO passes away
In his post, Ludwig mentions how he had the opportunity to interview the former YouTube CEO in 2022, about a year before she stepped down from the position. The video it can be found in is titled "Confronting the CEO of YouTube" and currently has over 3 million views.
Fondly remembering his meeting with her, Ludwig said in his recent X post:
"I was nervous to meet her and intimidated by her security team who swept through our house the day before she arrived. Those feelings melted away the moment she walked in the room. She was truly a genuine, thoughtful, and kind person."
The video gave viewers much insight into how YouTube functions and why the company made certain decisions, like removing the dislike button and changing the platform's algorithm.
It's worth noting that Susan Wojcicki would frequently collaborate with YouTubers across the platform, mainly because she believed in remaining transparent with the YouTube community.
A brief look at Susan Wojcicki's contributions to YouTube
Susan Wojcicki played a major role in Google's decision to acquire YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion. This acquisition is now considered one of the most successful in tech history, with the latter becoming a central part of the former's business.
The former YouTube CEO was a key figure in developing AdSense as well, which became a major revenue stream for Google. She also had a hand in other important projects, such as AdWords, DoubleClick, and Google Analytics, helping to build the giant's advertising empire.
When it comes to revenue, she played a pivotal role in transforming YouTube into a global powerhouse. Under her leadership, YT's ad revenue more than tripled, from 2014 to 2023, going from $4 billion to nearly $30 billion.
She also made moves and established grounds for safeguarding content creators as well as promoting gender diversity on YouTube.
