You’ve decided to step into the world of video and are excited about integrating it into your content campaign. The rise of video content is no surprise. According to WYZOwl, 93% of marketers agree that video is a key component of their marketing strategy. That’s a 92% increase from 2020. The pandemic has likely played a role in this shift. Statistics also predict that 82% of internet traffic will be directed towards online videos in 2022. Higher video marketing budgets are expected for the upcoming year and as a result, digital marketing is being heavily stressed by organizations large and small. There’s a compelling reason to integrate video in your marketing plan, but there’s still an ongoing debate on which video streaming platform is best.
YouTube
YouTube has been the powerhouse platform for years. Since its initial launch in 2005, YouTube has become the destination for original content. Google’s acquisition 18 months later caused a business shift to user-generated content followed by enormous investments from venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and Artis Capital Management. Features, marketing, and a series of changes with partners have been included in the platform’s evolution.
Highlights
- YouTube has a larger audience than Vimeo with both desktop and mobile versions of its platform. This is the result of its expansive network of other streaming platforms and can be seen as a positive or a negative. While there are more viewers, there is also more competition, which may or may not work in your company’s favor.
- As a Google-acquired company, there’s a heightened emphasis on searchability through search engine optimization (SEO). Since Google does not manage content generated through Vimeo, there’s a greater likelihood of getting more views on YouTube.
- If you’re thinking of running a paid campaign, YouTube has a more user-friendly platform. In addition, you’ll get the support that you need from an Advertising Expert when you spend $10/day on ads.
Vimeo
Originally launched in 2004, Vimeo has been the top contender to YouTube’s video streaming platform. It has also gone through an evolution like its competitor but has focused efforts on consumer HD. Vimeo was the first to market to support this feature in 2007 and has famously partnered with Pinterest, Dropbox, and Roku throughout the years. Still, the viewership numbers haven’t been able to match those of its counterpart.
Highlights
- The company has taken a firm stance against pre-roll ads – a stark contrast to YouTube’s ad revenue which generated approximately $19.7B US dollars in 2020. Pre-roll ads sometimes deter viewers from watching a video although they do offer the ability for an organization to advertise to a broader audience.
- Organizations can customize the Vimeo player through an upgraded plan. This feature allows marketers to update the player with branded elements (colors, logos, etc.)
- Vimeo uses a higher bitrate, the number of bits per second. This results in a higher-quality video. The platform caters to a more professional community with video production experts. Since YouTube has more videos uploaded each day, each gets heavily compressed which lowers the quality – both on the visual and audio side.
When considering which video streaming platform is right for your organization, we recommend considering your target audience, goals for the campaign, and which features get you across the finish line for branded content. Here’s our checklist:
- Who is your target audience?
- Are you posting free content and/or published ads?
- What is your video marketing budget?
- Are you looking to customize with our branded assets?
- What privacy control options are you in search of?
- Do your goals include a high search ranking for organic traffic?
- Will the video be edited outside of the platform before posting?
- Where does video quality rank on your list of priorities?
- Is mobile discovery important to you?
- How many videos do you plan on posting? What storage capacity will you need?
- What analytics will you use to evaluate performance?
- Will you be live streaming?
If you’re looking to integrate video into your content marketing strategy, get in touch! We partner with companies to plan quarterly campaigns, strategically identify themes, and develop video content that propels your company forward. Learn more about our services and Content 360 program.
