Regardless of industry, scale or location, all small business owners should promote their company with branded videos. Most customers nowadays days prefer to watch a video related to a product or service before making a purchase. As consumers continue to take in more information through the internet and branded videos on social media platforms, the importance of videos as a promotional tool can’t be understated. Here is a rundown of the best video platforms you can use to introduce your company to the world.
YouTube
With almost 2 billion monthly active users, YouTube is the largest video-sharing platform on Earth. If you want to showcase your brand to as many consumers as possible, YouTube is the way to go. Its benefits include an unlimited quantity of high-quality video content uploads, robust analytics and a user-friendly interface. Its popularity among mobile users and the ability to add interactive call-to-action messages at the end of a video are also key features. Google owns YouTube so if you already have a Google account for your business, you’re already connected to an entire digital ecosystem, and with support.
The biggest drawback of using YouTube is that because of its size, your company’s ads will have a hard time standing out in an ocean of content. Additionally, it’s an ad-supported platform and users don’t get a say in the content of the ads, which may be competitive or even offensive to your business.
Vimeo
Vimeo is a video-sharing platform that made its name by being the first website of its type to host high definition clips in 2007. Today, it’s better known for cultivating a thriving community of talented content creators that attracts 170 million active monthly viewers. Positive aspects of Vimeo are that it’s an ad-free platform, features embeddable player customization and in-depth analytics. It also has a premium account option that includes email capture and video production support. Conversely, Vimeo has a smaller active viewer base than YouTube and has limitations on the number of videos users can upload. There is also a monthly fee, but a 30 day free trial period is available.
Facebook
Although its primary function is not a video platform, there are a few good reasons to host some of your company’s promotional clips on the world’s largest social network. Facebook’s extensive data mining allows small business owners to specifically target their videos to users who will be most receptive to their message. Your company could reach many potential consumers, however, one big drawback is their algorithms, which can effectively bury videos that don’t resonate with users.
Animoto
Animoto is an ideal platform for small business owners who don’t have much experience working with video. As a video-creation platform that gives users access to a host of editing tools, thousands of commercially licensed songs and more than 100 prefabricated video styles, entrepreneurs who know nothing about making videos can create quality clips that will appeal to consumers. However, because of its relatively small user base, Animoto’s is currently most useful as a video-creation site rather than a hosting platform.