Happy Birthday Google Video.

Those words, uttered by Steve Rosenbaum writing for the Huffington Post, are part of a first-hand look at the impact, influence, and ground-breaking work Google has done in online video content during the past year:

• A year ago Google announced it was entering the video market
• About a year ago Google Video went live
• In November, Google's acquisition of YouTube is complete
• And now integration of the two services has begun

Sure… lots of places do online video.  But how many of them have had the influence and impact of Google?  YouTube was on the fast-track to becoming master of online video… hence the purchase by Google.  But a year ago, online video was a novelty… it was something that the majority of Internet users weren't doing.

Fast-forward to today, and online video is a staple that many use on a daily video.  Rosenbaum says Google and YouTube are to be given the credit for this expansion.  It has been a busy year for online video.  Rosenbaum's account of the success he had with Google Video during the year is a testament to that.

It should be interesting to see where we are in another year.