Wanna learn more about online video platforms? Check out our FREE class on Monday 27th April - 'Building Success on Online Video Platforms'
Since the launch of YouTube just over 10 years ago, video sharing has become an essential part of everyday life. Whether it's simply sharing a video with family or uploading your next big production, video platforms have allowed everyone the chance to show their visual creativity to a wider audience without needing to spend lots of money on distribution (yay to free stuff!).
However, like almost every craze, video platforms are no longer purely sites like YouTube and Vimeo, with social media heavyweights such as Facebook and Instagram opting to create their own. With this growth in video sharing, you can now share videos publicly or privately, with platforms such as Snapchat and Whatsapp giving a more personal experience. This also brings about social video sharing in comparison to the conventional search engine. Here we look at some of the main video platforms, assessing their pros and cons.
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Pros |
Cons |
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- YouTube is the second largest search engine - It is a global brand, therefore the best place to give exposure to your videos - Easy to share/embed videos on any site - Something for everyone, caters to a broad spectrum of niche content - It allows for longer videos than most video platforms - Offers advanced channel and video analytics - YouTube offers training and best practices via Creators Academy - You can make money via integrated advertising format
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- For a viewer, related videos are not always actually related - For beginners it can be hard to understand how best to optimise your videos for SEO and discoverability - For new channels it can be hard to compete with the 300 hours of video that are uploaded to YouTube every minute - The average user can struggle with navigating copyright infringements - YouTube comments are notorious for spam and trolling (keyboard warriors) |
| Pros |
Cons |
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- Will not compress your high quality videos - Unlimited video length (on Pro account) - The platform of choice for Filmmakers and Design professional - Less competition due to more niche audience - Improved video formatting options - Less likely to get copyright infringement - Replacing video without losing views
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- Doesn’t allow content that isn’t made by you - Free members restricted to just 500mb per week - Free users are restricted to 720p uploads - All of the best features require a paid account |
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Pros |
Cons |
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- Increased social engagement (High Likes and Shares) - Autoplay and sharing drives high views - Easier to customise privacy, restricting to only showing certain people on your friends list - More likely to have your video seen because of your friends list
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- Cuts off access to huge YouTube audience - Most users scroll past it on their newsfeed - Can reduce video quality - Not considered as high quality a platform as YouTube of Vimeo
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Pros |
Cons |
| - One of the biggest video platforms and the most popular European site in the world
- Available around the world in 18 different languages and 35 localised versions - Similar to Youtube and Vimeo in terms of sharing on all sites - Less likely to be faced with copyright infringements |
- Not used for professional videos
- Does not have the viewership and brand name of Youtube - Not as advanced tools and features as YouTube |
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Cons |
| - Arguably the simplest video sharing platform
- Easy access through app - Extremely quick loading time (even with bad internet) - Editing capabilities - Easy to embed on social media sites - Allows for more creativity in a 6 second video - Full Twitter integration - Popular amongst pranksters, comedians, musicians, stop motion animators
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- Much smaller viewership
- Lost popularity since Instagram video launch - More of a GIF-style video platform - Constant looping can be irritating |
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Pros |
Cons |
| - Custom filters specifically for video
- Short videos, usually up to 15 seconds - Basic editing capabilities - A cinema mode available for stabilisation - Hyper-lapse timelapse app - Most popular content is photography, fashion/beauty, pets, travel, lifestyle |
- No replay capability
- No embedding capabilities - Cannot upload longer videos |
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Pros |
Cons |
| - Free for users to upload video
- It’s a private video platform, so you can control who sees the video - Maximum length 45 seconds, so content will be short and snappy |
- Viewership restricted to contact list
- There are more established ways to share videos - No editing capabilities |
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Pros |
Cons |
| - Free for any user
- Quickest way to share an image or video - ‘My story’ function enables you to post a video status - Video Stories has 24 lifespan - so you won't have to see embarrassing shots again - A fun and unique way of sharing videos |
- Cannot integrate with other platforms (legally)
- Censorship needs improving - Has a bad reputation due to people abusing platform - Can only share with contacts, restricting viewership |
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Pros |
Cons |
| - Posting live video streams
- Connecting with people all over the world - Good opportunity to gain more Twitter followers - Able to see places without travelling |
- It’s only available on iPhone for now
- Limited support at this stage - Buffering will be regular occurrence |
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Pros |
Cons |
| - You can post live video streams
- Completely integrated with Twitter - New app, so may be easier to gain following - No copyright infringement |
- Not established
- Not everyone has Twitter - Live streaming means videos will buffer a lot - Competing with Periscope as live streaming service - Only available on iPhone at the moment |
While these aren't the only video sharing platforms, they do represent the general trend in which video sharing is heading. When YouTube first started, you could only upload to the web; now everything from smartphones to tablets enable uploading and sharing capabilities. Furthermore, with the recent popularity of platforms such as Vine and Instagram Video, short form videos have given content that extra intimate touch. And with Twitter officially releasing their own (app-only) video tweet option, it seems there's no stopping the gigantic market from constantly growing.
Wanna learn more about online video platforms? Check out our FREE class on Monday 27th April - 'Building Success on Online Video Platforms'
The post Share my Video: Pros and Cons of Video Platforms appeared first on Raindance.