Google's YouTube and AdWords on Wednesday solidified their long-rumored relationship, an arrangement that allows video makers to promote their videos on YouTube search results pages.

The union of the couple is called YouTube Sponsored Videos. It promises to increase revenue generation at YouTube and to help obscure auteurs get noticed, provided they're willing to outbid well-to-do studios for keywords like "movie trailer."

"YouTube Sponsored Videos is our new advertising program that enables all video creators -- from the everyday user to a Fortune 500 advertiser -- to reach people who are interested in their content, products, or services, with relevant videos," explains YouTube product manager Matthew Liu in a blog post. "Anyone can use Sponsored Videos to make sure their videos find a larger audience, whether you're a startup band trying to break out with a new single, a film studio seeking to promote an exciting movie trailer, or even a first-time uploader trying to quickly build a following on the site."

When YouTube visitors use the site's search box, they will see the ad belonging to the winners of the keyword auction alongside their search results. The ads will be labeled "sponsored videos."

In an interview in August, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said his company still hadn't figured out how to implement advertising on YouTube. Google took tentative steps to do so in October, when it allowed members of its YouTube partner program to add e-commerce links inside videos.

With the introduction of YouTube Sponsored Videos, Google stands poised to capitalize on the dreams of celebrity harbored by millions of its users. "This is a powerful way for users and advertisers to get discovered," said YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley in a video message. "And anyone will be able to promote and sponsor videos in a relevant and democratic way."

Indeed, what could be more democratic than an auction?