There is no doubt the use of online video is rising. With amount of people uploading and sharing at an all-time high, there is no reason not to start using online video. So then the question becomes where will you put these videos you create?
Videos are large files, so you are going to need a service that not only provides you the room to upload, but also provides a large amount of bandwidth. Obviously, you want to use a platform that helps build your brand. And finally, you will need a service that reports back to you on how your videos are performing.
Here is a short list of video hosting services that can help you get started with video marketing.
We have all heard of and use YouTube—some probably on a daily basis. YouTube is a useful and, most importantly, free service to host your videos. As Barb said yesterday, YouTube has many facets for businesses to take advantage of for online hosting. YouTube allows you to advertise your videos, build your brand and even track their performance with YouTube and Google Analytics.
One amazing and lesser known benefit of YouTube is that it is the second largest search engine in the world. What does this mean for businesses? It means that people are going to YouTube not only to watch cat and music videos, but also product demonstrations, educational content and company videos. With about 100 hours of video being added to YouTube every minute, it is easily the largest video hosting platform but still a great place to build your brand and reach potential customers.
Vimeo is a hosting service created back in 2004 by a group of filmmakers looking to share their videos. It started out as a website that allowed people to connect and share their visual content, but has now grown into much more. Vimeo remains a place to follow, connect and explore the vast array of content it hosts, but the platform is being geared more toward businesses now. It offers various plans, including a business plan that can be far cheaper than competitors. Vimeo also offers a statistics add-on to measure the playback and viewership of your videos. With this, you can measure who is watching your video, where they are watching it and who is commenting/liking it.
Wistia is a top-notch hosting service and provides a straightforward way to upload, customize and post your videos. Unlike the previous services, your videos are not shared on Wistia, but rather shared from Wistia. After you upload the video and customize your player with sharing icons, your logo and even CTAs, you can take the code and embed it anywhere, as we have done with our homepage video.
My favorite part of Wistia is the amount of resources available to its customers. As soon as you sign up, it introduces you to a series of videos that will walk you step by step through all of the basic, intermediate and advanced features of the system. From how to upload your first video to analyzing them with robust analytics, this resource library is a must-watch for anybody beginning with video marketing.
As Vidyard says themselves, the system was built for marketers. It is a simple system and allows you to sign up for a free 14-day trial of the entire system before you have to pay. This helps you see what it has to offer and decide if it works for you. Much like Wistia, Vidyard allows you to customize your player and thumbnail to help drive viewers. Where Vidyard excels is its integration and analytics.
Vidyard allows you to treat your video like another piece of your marketing strategy. You are able to A/B test thumbnails, add customized CTAs and utilize the content to help drive contacts and leads into your database. One of the most useful aspects of Vidyard is its integration with top marketing platforms. It works seamlessly with Salesforce, Hootsuite and Hubspot. Needless say, this allows you to track how your videos are performing and see the effect it has on your marketing strategy.
This list will continue to grow as the use of online business video and the need for better reporting grows. With all of the host platforms out there, which is your company using? Please share in the comments and tell us why!
photo credit: David Lee King 
