A Beginner’s Guide to Video Hosting

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How to get the best video hosting solution

So you’ve decided to take your first step into the world of website video production. The video is shot and edited; now you just need somewhere to host it. There are a wealth of different video hosting options available to you, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Which one you choose depends on your level of experience and the needs of your site.

When you think video on the internet, the first site that comes to mind is, of course, YouTube. Part of the sprawling Google internet empire, YouTube is the most popular destination for online video. Its interface is easy to use, and the service is highly reliable.

If you host your video on YouTube, it will be accessible in two ways. First, people can reach the video through the YouTube site itself. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, YouTube will generate a short fragment of HTML called an embed code. Inserting this code into a page on your website will implant the video.

YouTube is a great option for the website video production beginner. Simple, reliable and above all free, it nonetheless has a few downsides. Load times aren’t as quick as they might be, and it’s impossible to remove the YouTube branding from the video, which might not suit some businesses.

For the more experienced user, a paid solution offers a wider range of hosting options. One good example is Wistia, a video hosting solution that allows its users to host unbranded videos. Wistia also comes with a range of analytical tools which allow you to track who views your video and how often. Paid services like Wistia and its feature-heavy competitor Brightcove are a big step up from YouTube, but for a company committed to website video production they can be very useful.

An intermediate step between free and paid services is Vimeo, an upgradeable service. Vimeo resembles YouTube in many ways, but an optional premium version allows users to remove player branding and other restrictions. Although not free, Vimeo is significantly less expensive – if still less robust – than pricier paid alternatives.

Any of these video hosting options can be the right choice for you and your business; the key is to find the one that suits both your needs and your budget.

If you’d like help in choosing the best video hosting solution then we’d be delighted to help you. Contact your friendly experts today on 01527 910050.

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