-By Mike Shields

YouTube says companies that use its Content ID tool to locate—and often monetize—copyrighted content that has been uploaded by users on the massive video site will now be able to utilize YouTube Insight, a separate service that provides in-depth data on individual videos’ traffic patterns and audience characteristics.

Previously, YouTube Insight had only been available for videos that have been uploaded directly by individuals or companies. But now, for the thousand-plus YouTube partners, including TV networks, record companies and movie studios—which regularly use Content ID to find videos that have been uploaded by someone else—will be able to tap into the same data they have access to when they post such content.

YouTube officials said they believe this data might provide content companies with useful insights, such as the demographic makeup of audiences which frequently upload their content, how popular user-uploaded content is compared to their own, and where exactly traffic to user-uploaded clips derives from.