Whether you tend to spend more time using on-demand video of livestreaming, one thing is for sure: mobile video is the future of entertainment, education and even employment. Videos make people feel more connected and entice them to interact more often than they otherwise would. If you’re ready to start recording, check out this guide to popular video sharing platforms and determine which one may be right for you.
YouTube is by far the most popular and well-known video sharing website. Anybody who wants to share content with others can upload a video. After a channel has at least 1,000 subscribers and reaches 4,000 watched hours in a 12-month period, it is eligible for monetization. Many other features are available as well, including livestreaming, custom video thumbnails, annotation options and transcription and translation services.
Where YouTube allows people to upload anything from music to vlogs, Vimeo has more specific focus. This platform’s users are usually filmmakers who are producing and selling their work. It offers film-specific features such as post-production and collaboration options, flexible storage options, a 360 Video School, speed controls and the option to upload in 8K.
Formerly Ustream, IBM Cloud Video focuses on professionalism. The platform supports both live and on-demand streaming across the globe and provides a range of features, such as transcoding and automatic speech to text. It streams more than 2 million events per month and provides 24/7 customer support, making it a shoo-in for large corporations, online professors and other corporate types.
Unlike most video sharing platforms, which are very public, DropShots is a private network, making it popular among parents who want to share content while maintaining privacy. The platform also supports the importation and storage of photos from Instagram, Flickr and other social media sites and provides a web-based editor for cropping and touching up photos.
The right video hosting platform depends on your needs. You may even want to use more than one of them. If you want to share videos with friends or appear more approachable to your customers, YouTube is the best choice since it’s so well-known and versatile. If your goal is to create private videos for your co-workers or employees, IBM Cloud Video is the most professional option. Vimeo is best if you’re already a filmmaker or simply want to experiment. No matter which of these three you choose, it wouldn’t hurt to create a DropShots account, too, since it’s an easy way to keep online photos and videos all in one place.
Sometimes, an online platform isn’t powerful enough to meet your professional needs. If this is the case, your own content delivery network may be a better option. CDNs are specially equipped to handle high-traffic websites and videos without bottoming out load speed or eating up bandwidth. They also keep your information more secure by blocking spammers and protecting from DDoS attacks. Some of the most popular and powerful content delivery networks include Brightcove, Stream Media Hosting and Akami.
Nobody wants to sit in front of the TV anymore. Business owners, educators, parents and even kids are always on the go. If you want to reach your audience, you must evolve your communication methods. It’s never too late to become a mobile video expert!
