Still undecided about where to launch the awesome video you’re about to create?
Well, we are here to help. Here is a list of the platforms you should consider before initiating your video production, and the pros and cons of each.
YouTube:
YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google, which means it is a pretty good candidate for the best platform to launch your video marketing strategy.
Pros-
- YouTube is free for its users to upload an unlimited amount of videos
- Being the second largest search engine your video can reach millions of prospective customers
- Users have a YouTube channel which people can subscribe to, and follow the videos you upload
- YouTube has pre roll adverts available for you to launch your video, but you must capture the attention of your audience within the first 6 seconds, to avoid them clicking away.
Cons-
- Even though adverts on YouTube can be used as a pro, it can also be a con as your target audience could potentially be distracted by adverts.
- YouTube have related videos that are suggested to viewers alongside viewing your video, which may be attracting the attention of your competition and take their concentration away from your video.
Vimeo:
Vimeo is a video sharing website, where its users can upload, share and view videos. It has a community of more than 1million users.
Pros-
- Vimeo has no adverts that will distract viewers from the content in your video
- Vimeo has niche and engaged users of creative’s and film makers, who remain active on the site
- Vimeo is great for video production as it allows for high quality videos to be hosted
Cons-
- Unfortunately there is a limit on how many videos you can upload on to Vimeo for free. However, with a Vimeo Pro account you are able to upload more videos, have access to Pro customization and Vimeo On Demand worldwide distribution.
- Vimeo is not particularly a video hosting site for business, it is mostly a community for film makers
Wistia:
Wistia is a video hosting site that helps businesses to upload their videos on to the web.
Pros-
- With Wistia your video can rank higher in search engine results as it is supported by SEO; also the website your video is embedded on can rank higher in search results.
- Wistia allows you to analyse the performance of your video. You are able to see exactly where viewers started and stopped the video, what they re-watched and skipped.
- There are no adverts on or around your video when using Wistia
- It makes it easy for viewers to share your video on social media, as it allows you to add social sharing buttons.
Cons-
- Wistia is not as popular as other video hosting sites, so your video may not reach a large audience
- Wistia has a free plan however; you have to start paying if you want to upload a certain amount videos.
Instagram:
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social media app. This app has over 300 million users, with the majority being under the age of 35.
Pros-
- Instagram is very easy to use when uploading a video on to the app
- Users have the capability to reach millions of potential customers
Cons-
- Instagram videos are quite difficult to share. They do not have an embedded code like other video hosting platforms, which means your video will most likely only be viewed on instagram.
- Your search engine optimization won’t be increased through using instagram
- Without a significant following on your instagram already, the video may not reach a large amount of people
Vine:
Vine is an app that has become very popular over the past year. It allows users to record short 6 seconds videos and then upload it. The app has over 40 million users.
Pros-
- Vines can easily be shared on social media sites such as Twitter, which increases its chances of going viral
- Vine is the latest trend, so your company can be seen as current by having a video on vine
Cons-
- Videos can only be 6 seconds long, which may not be enough to host the content you intend to share with your target audience.
- May not be enough time to have a call to action, which will generate leads.
- Vine is not compatible for all devices. The platform is built particularly for mobiles and to be compatible with Ios, so your video may not be seen by all potential customers.
Now that you have read through the pros and cons of each platform, it is now time for you to decide which one is best for you. Because, ultimately the platform you choose should be in line with what you want to achieve
