Video on the Web

YouTube, MSN Video, YahooVideo, Google Video, AOL Video and Flickr, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to options for displaying your productions on the web. In addition to simply “showing” your videos there are resources to help you create, format, upload, display, organize, distribute, advertise...

...even monetize and edit - all on the web, some from your web site others hosted, some free, others for a donation or for pay, all the time. The premium runs from free & cheap to affordable & expensive. Many, many of these options are so simple even I can do it - and that, dear readers, is saying a lot.

As you know from reading my previous post I am in the process of gathering up sample clips, organizing them to reflect the wide diversification of my available services, improving their presentation, content and quality - and attempting to update all this content in an easy-to-find, easy-to-view approach. I'm not “there” yet, but I AM working on it. Part of that process has been researching the many “options" and that, in turn, has led to this article offering links to a huge variety of web video sharing resources.

Here’s what I have discovered in no particular order or preference: Many of you have heard of some of these, while others may not realize there’s much beyond YouTube. At any rate, I'll post what I have and you can take it from there. Comments welcome.

While YouTube is arguably the Big Daddy of video hosting sites, places like BlipTV, Vimeo, Atom Uploads, and Revver have offered viable alternatives. Preferable, actually, for many. Revver also offers its users the opportunity to “monetize” their videos, as does Google Video.

So does Youreeeka, a company now advertising a “patent-pending technology (that) enables you to maximize revenues distributing digital content online directly to your viewers.” With that in mind, you also do not have to invest a lot of money into services like this, as Michael Wright, of Windy Hills Video, North California, discovered recently. No, don’t ask, just check out FaceBook, Twitter and a few other PVN sites such as WedVidPro - the guru of new appliance discoveries has posted it just about everywhere.

First Western Digital’s HDTV player system, now this new gadget - what are you going to discover next, Michael? Guys like Michael Wright, and Jay Michael, are two of many who stay on top of new technology, and share their knowledge and discoveries regarding all things video. By the way, Jay says ning.com is cool, and I have to agree.

Added note: Another reader, Shane, noted that I left out Film Rookie. After his comment mentioning FR I visited and liked what I saw - to the extent that I immediately joined and uploaded a test clip. After HOURS of uploading, and being told the upload was successful, NADA. No clip to be found anywhere! I also attempted twice to contact FR via its "report" form and both times it failed to authorize clearance using the code I carefully entered. Like I said elsewhere, I'll try again when I have some more time to waste.

Speaking of Twitter, the micro-blogging site that is gaining eyeballs by the tankers full. The site can help after you’ve posted your clips elsewhere. Look at adjix.com where the site says short links and tiny ads can generate a “big payoff.” This thing inserts into individual updates and you can get paid based on impressions and clicks. Also, if you don’t know already, check out Cligs, ShortURL.com or BudURL.com - all sites that help you cut down on those lengthy URLs for Twitter posts. They also include reports you can use in assessing your content’s effectiveness.

In addition to FB & Twitter, there are other social sharing sites that might help you in some way. Again, a lot of you know about them, but if you don’t, take a look at Digg.com and Mixx.com - expand your horizons, readers!

Getting back to web video options, marketing, posting, advertising and distributing. Once you have joined such sites as GoogleVideo, Revver, BlipTV, YouTube and others, you have got to check out Tube Mogul where you can upload to all these sites in one shot. Tube Mogul also has tools that help you track which sites are getting more eyeballs.

I read in another place where YouTube is soon to introduce live streaming. Visit this link to see what that’s all about. But the perennial web video hosting site is a bit late to the game when you consider iTunes possibilities, as well as U Stream, and a host of others. For those who have produced commercial/creative or art video productions, and are looking for ways to advertise, distribute and sell using the social sharing networks like FaceBook and Twitter, along with Film Specific, Brave New Theaters, even Amazon or Film Baby, the last two offering order fulfillment, can possibly discover a way to recoup costs, break even or even make money selling their productions.

While many of the above, and those I will soon mention in this article, range from little or no costs, to fairly expensive, I at least want you to know the range of options at your disposal. I will be experimenting with these and others I find along the way, en route to my own web site video sharing goals, including the use of Michael’s recent appliance “discovery.”

Here are a bunch more options, choices, and brief comments regarding some of them, and other places you can go to see what’s out there in terms of making and sharing your video clips. Sites that could make possible marketing, distribution and monetizing efforts that work the way you want them to.

Fliqz web site claims it helps you to “harness the power of video” tracking each viewing and providing reports with useful information. Amazon’s Create Space assists you in uploading your creative content and getting it listed as a regular title. This can make your production (not just video) available to millions who stay connected with the powerhouse company.

In addition to standard definition content, places like YouTube, Vimeo and even FaceBook now provide for high definition. Others as well. But keep in mind that YouTube currently has a 10-minute limit on clip length. You have options elsewhere to pay more, or less, or nothing. Each has its own rules regarding what you can or cannot show. Many of them hold the line at porno (nobody here doing any of that, right?), guard vigorously against copyright infringement, or react if somebody reports an infringement to them. Others are mildly non-reactive, even lethargic.

For content enhancement check out Yanobox Motype for text animation, Red Giant Software’s Trapcode Suite or even Digital Juice.

More streaming services are available at Telestream’s WireCast. There’s also Justin TV. You should at least visit Stream Hoster. There’s also Clip Stream, but it is currently only for Windows. I don’t know about Reel Time but it might offer something of interest. Mogulus is worth a look-see - also known as Live Stream or Live Stream Pro.

Don’t shut down your computer without also looking at imeem, jibjab (remember them?), Pandora TV, VidiLife (not really ALL that good, but) Zippy Video, Zoopy and Eye Spot also is pixelfish. Grouper is now Crackle, but still in business, as is OurMedia.org, and there’s V Social, but it currently can only create 320x240 video rolls.

There’s Bright Cove, Tangle.com, Gubb.TV, DropShots and Big Contact. The Clip Shack, Daily Motion, Myubo (a wireless 2.5G/3G upload site).

You’ve got FlickLife, but I’ve got to warn you it is full of totally raunchy stuff that might detract from your wholesome production clips’ contents. Live Video also sports some raunchy content.

There’s flukiest, and GoFish (now for 13 and under) is now pitching betawave.com as an alternative. Kewego is there, if you understand German. You do have an English option, however. Look at Self Cast TV, Tuberoo and Shout Wire, Viddler, Video Egg and UVouch.

Motion Box and Dabble were/are in development stages and may, or not yet, be publicly available. You should look at Cast Post, Bolt, DiviCast and Blinkx. If you haven’t yet gone loopy with all these sites, try Glide Digital, Loomie, Mefeedia, Pop Cast, Photo Bucket, Break, Buzz Net and Gawkk.

Alas, Jump Cut, offering an easy large window experience will soon be no mas, discontinuing service as of June 15, 2009.

Let’s see...
...I’m going to check out Veeple.com and Vzaar.com for myself, so you might want to look there as well. Check out BoinxTV’s software solutions.

I will leave you with these, hoping that in your spare time :-) you will find the desire to check out a few, or all, maybe even comment upon them here or elsewhere. Until then, I am busy working on the options for my own web site(s) clip updates and revisions using some of what I have discovered among the possibilities.

Remember: If You Market, You Will Make It! © Earl Chessher