Last I read, which was a couple of years ago, after Google search, YouTube is the next most searched "search engine". It serves ads. Is it really, from Google's

Last I read, which was a couple of years ago, after Google search, YouTube is the next most searched "search engine". It serves ads. Is it really, from Google's POV that different than it's core business? That aside, as we know now, Google wasted it's time with Plus. Instead it should have fleshed out YT's social aspects. While that's easy to say in retrospect, it's still not a bad idea if Google wanted to "social media" product.