How to Choose Video Hosting Services in 2024

Understanding of products and services by the user has increased by 94% because of videos. Videos are mostly viewed on mobile devices globally and over 75% of video views are from mobile. This helps users make a decision and become a user of a brand faster than ever before. 93% of businesses gain new customers due to branded video content that is distributed over several platforms. In this article, we are going to discuss video streaming hosting services, how it works, key features, why should a business opt for video hosting platforms, and its benefits.

 

What is a Video Hosting Service?

The statistics mentioned above are proof that videos are an integral part of growing any business. Maintaining a high-quality video is important while sharing the video with the audience. A high-quality video hosting platform is the solution to stream high-quality videos. The video hosting platforms provide tools for video SEO, editing, analytics, production, and monetization.

Also Read: How To Start A Business That Gives You More Profit?

Live streaming of videos is very popular as it gives audiences a chance to participate in events, webinars and talk shows that they could not reach earlier. More so when it is a brand that they are interested in or the presenter. The audience is even willing to pay to buy tickets for live or on-demand videos and this comprises 45% of the audiences’ segment. Businesses can also host live videos using video hosting services and increase the reach, engagement, and sales of their target audience.

 

How Do Video Hosting Solutions Work?

Businesses that purchase a subscription to a video hosting solution store the videos on the platform. The videos are pre-recorded and are stored in the right format on the platform. It can be stored on the video hosting solution’s cloud server or your server based on the features that the platform you choose offers you. It is advisable to opt to store the videos on the remote server of the platform as they have large servers with good bandwidth.

Users of the business who have access to the videos on the video hosting platform can log on to the platform anytime to access the videos. When the user clicks ‘play’ on the video, the video content is streamed from the server of the platform to the user’s device through the internet connection. Audio and video are sent in small chunks to the user’s device and platform on the user’s end decompresses the data that stream and displays it on the screen. The viewer does not have to download the video to watch it and may watch it on the video streaming platform at any time. Easy and open access to the videos hosted on the live streaming platforms improves the user experience.

 

Features of Video Hosting Services

  • 100% Customization

All the features of video hosting services are 100% customizable. It could be uploading, monetization, distribution, user interface, payment gateways, video thumbnail, or any other feature. With 100% customization, businesses can utilize the video hosting service to the fullest as per the requirement of their business and provide a personalized experience to their audience.

  • Storage on Cloud or On-Premise

Businesses can choose to store the videos on their servers or cloud platform of video hosting services. It is advisable to utilize cloud platforms rather than physical servers as the cloud has unlimited space and data can be streamed faster when stored on the cloud when compared to streaming from a physical server.

  • Progressive Web Applications

The user interface of the web application is the same as the user interface of the mobile application. This improves the viewing experience, comfort level, and ease of navigation thereby improving the user experience.

  • Social Login

Any application requires the user to create an account and log in to the account every time they have to access the application. Social login is an option for users to use their social media accounts to log in to the application. It could be any widely used social media platform such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

  • Offline Viewing

No matter where the user is, he/she can access video content on a video streaming platform even without internet connectivity. Users can download the video content in any of the resolutions offered and save the videos to watch at a later date. The downloaded videos can be watched anywhere, anytime and any number of times after downloading once.

  • Multiple Payment Gateways

All the leading payment methods used globally are supported by video streaming hosting services. This ensures businesses all over the world can use video hosting solutions and cater to their audiences throughout the world. Businesses can set primary payment gateway and multiple payment gateways for their users to transact on the platform.

 

Reasons Why Video Hosting Services are Better than Self-Hosting

  • Prevent Piracy of Videos

Illegal services are highly used th UK, Spain, and France at 2.4 million, 2.2 million, and 2.3 million respectively. Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain have the highest percentage of pirates at 8.9%, 8.5%, and 6.9% respectively. Benefits of video hosting services include the prevention of piracy using secure and legal measures. This way, businesses can be sure that their video content is in safe hands.

  • Reduce Hosting Expenses

Businesses that self-host videos using web hosting services do not have an individual server to host videos. This reduces the server space and availability of bandwidth which in turn reduces the speed at which the videos load for viewers. Upgrading to larger space and higher bandwidth proves to be expensive. Video hosting platform does not have limitations of server space or bandwidth issues. Also, video hosting providers charge lesser when compared to web hosting services.

  • Saves Time

Self-hosting videos involve uploading video and audio files in different formats so they can be viewed on all device types. This requires compressing time-consuming videos. Also, when a business has to roll out videos regularly, it becomes a mammoth task. This task is outsourced when businesses utilize video streaming platforms as compression of videos, conversion of formats, and uploading is done automatically.

  • Improved Quality of Video

Video streaming platforms provide different levels of picture quality to suit the picture definition of all internet service providers. Also, viewers can choose the picture quality that they want to view the videos on the platform. Another benefit of this is that the videos continue to stream even at fluctuating internet speeds.

  • No Bandwidth Restrictions

When businesses host multiple videos on their website instead of using a video streaming service, it affects the bandwidth. A website’s web server can transfer limited data to browse the website. This negatively impacts the viewer’s experience as the video buffers while streaming. Also depending on the number of people watching a video at the same time, the bandwidth will reduce. Video hosting platforms have unlimited bandwidth which eliminates buffering.

  • No File Format Issues

Viewers can choose to view a video file in a different format based on the device or browser that they are using. There is no one standard format that businesses can stick to. They have to provide all their videos in all the file formats to cater to their audience. When a business uses video streaming services, they only have to upload a video once to the platform. The video streaming solution services automatically take care of file formatting. 

 

Advantages of Video Hosting Services

  • Increase in Website Engagement

Publishing videos on a free video hosting platform gives viewers chances to move onto your competitors’ videos that are hosted on the same platform. To avoid missing out on potential customers and to engage your existing customers, invest in video hosting services for your business.

  • Increased Control Over Potential Leads

For the traffic driven to a website, potential leads should be taken through a video sales funnel to convert a prospect to a sale. This can be made possible only when the videos are hosted on a video streaming platform and not by self-hosting. All the marketing efforts put in to bring in quality traffic being taken over by a competitor is the last thing a business will want to see. Video hosting platform gives control over potential leads.

  • Data Analytics

Free video hosting websites provide basic data on how the videos are performing. Such data cannot be utilized to create a sales funnel or understand the audience. Marketing and sales plans cannot be formulated or monitored based on such basic data. Video hosting solutions provide detailed data analytics using which businesses can make decisions.

  • Personal Branding

People recognize brands. When a business uses a free video streaming platform, they cannot use their logo or brand their videos. There is no personalization except for the video content. The video streaming platform can embed advertisements in any or all of the videos. Also, competitor videos are shown as relevant and suggested videos. All of this can be avoided and all videos can be personalized and branded on video streaming platforms.

  • Increased Security

Video streaming hosting services protect the code that a business uses to embed the video into its website. This greatly decreases the chances of piracy and illegal downloading. Businesses can also control over who can and can’t watch their videos thereby personalizing user experience in their buying journey.

 

Conclusion

Choosing a video streaming hosting service is a huge step for any business. Getting the right service can take the business to great heights as all high-quality videos can be backed up and embedded to provide a seamless viewing experience. With all the video content hosting controls and features, businesses can execute marketing plans and create sales funnels to increase sales.