If you have been talking to a few “video enthusiast types” or first getting your feet wet in the video marketing realm, you have undoubtedly encountered the fierce, almost “coming-to-blows” arguments over Vimeo vs. YouTube… which is optimum for content marketing strategies? Which is more visually appealing? What option requires the most buffering? Okay, we went a little overboard with the whole “coming-to-blows” reference… though the fact still remains that there’s a controversy over which of these video hosting platforms is best when considering online video marketing tactics. In November 2006, YouTube was bought by Google for $1.65 billion, and now operates as one of Google’s subsidiaries – but this hasn’t stopped the sensational and uber-popular video site from growing in nearly all areas, nor has it changed the ultimate dynamics of why everyone tends to post online video content there.

If listening to “techy talk” amongst other perhaps more video-centric types has gotten you thinking about all this, don’t fret – you’ve stumbled upon the right blog. Here, we’re going to explain the differences between Vimeo and YouTube and divulge the major marketing advantages of using one of the Internet’s two main video hosting options…especially if you’re considering going with a Green Screen Talent Now online video.

From a content marketing standpoint, the variables to consider are really pretty rudimentary: More often than not, you are looking to optimize video view count, simplify accessibility, retain strong aesthetics and utilize a platform that can handle videos of various types.

Making the Case for YouTube

Do we really have to explain the allure of this video hosting solution? When it comes to online video, the first standard you should examine is YouTube, as it boasts the most content and viewers of any video hosting platform on the Internet. Seventy-two hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, and over four billion hours of video are watched every month…are you beginning to get the picture?

Still, as a marketing tool, you have to ask yourself: How does YouTube’s functionality meet your needs? For example: Does YouTube’s massive on-page community matter when you are just looking to have viewers watch the video while it’s embedded on your blog or website? Conversely, are you attempting to attract a larger audience to a social YouTube account with specialized playlists and interactive content? Now, let’s assume, for a moment, that your goal is to get people to your website…

With this consideration in mind, here are some pros and cons of using YouTube to host your videos:

1. YouTube boasts an 800 million person-per-month audience, which means that you might be able to attract a higher number of people to your videos. However, with a larger audience comes a huge pile of content – both good and bad – being uploaded to YouTube at a constant rate. What does this mean? One video can easily become the proverbial needle in a haystack. Still, such a large audience is indeed difficult to ignore, and if you make a strong promotional plan of attack, you can really take advantage of this most formidable of hosting solutions.
2. Like most Google services, YouTube is 100-percent free to use with unlimited uploads and full customization options. What’s more, there’s plenty of choices so far as organization is concerned; users can create channels and playlists while sharing videos effortlessly. However, YouTube does limit all videos to 15 minutes, and there remains a tendency for the platform to lose aesthetic appeal with a cluttered interface and high number of advertisements.
3. Of course, if money isn’t a concern, YouTube’s advertising possibilities are infinite – in addition to using YouTube as a content marketing option, you can easily make it into a powerful advertising tool should you decide to pay to make that happen. Businesses, nonprofits and public campaigns are using YouTube as a proxy for television advertising, so if that is what you are looking for, YouTube’s huge audience is a definitely a big “pro.”
4. Since 2005, YouTube’s videos have been embedded across the Internet – now, the aesthetic of YouTube’s player is familiar amongst millions. Although the jury is out on whether the YouTube player affects view count, designers might have something to say about how the ever-present YouTube logo affects your branding…indeed, something to consider.

Why Vimeo?

Being used at an almost overwhelming clip by college students everywhere, Vimeo is an up-and-coming video hosting service that boasts a niche audience and then some, dubbed “the counter-cultural option to YouTube.” In fact, as one blogger put it, “As YouTube is to New York, Vimeo is to Portland – and Portland is a hipster’s paradise.”

1. As mentioned, Vimeo is still up-and-coming as a video hosting solution, and although it’s taken a bite out of YouTube’s marketing dominance, it currently “only” sees 60 million visitors per month; this makes the potential of any video going viral much lower.
2. In nearly every aspect of its interface, Vimeo boasts a much cleaner aesthetic appeal, rendering the user experience of Vimeo a completely different one compared to YouTube. Everything is organized, easily searched and feels like an “artistic portfolio;” further, the quality of video productions on Vimeo tends to be higher and there’s absolutely no limit on length of videos uploaded. This is all part of Vimeo’s appeal as more of an “artistic community” as compared to the more “anything-goes” approach of YouTube.
3. Even with all its artistic emphasis, Vimeo slides into a much more niche-oriented category, one which focuses on good filmmaking and inspiring videos; removed is all the commercial, gaming and non-user-generated content. What’s more, its community tends to be comprised of a more professionally-polished crowd, made up of filmmakers and film enthusiasts. In this way, some have compared YouTube to Facebook and Vimeo to LinkedIn, giving Vimeo a more “refined” vibe that gets filtered throughout its approach to video hosting.
4. Standing in stark contrast to YouTube is Vimeo’s embedded player – the argument for Vimeo has been that the platform was designed so that its player seems more like a third-party or native media approach rather than an embedded player. Secondarily, the design has been crafted to highlight content, rather than any kind of Vimeo branding, so you can expect to see it used more and more in the future. Compared to YouTube, Vimeo has the advantage in this particular department.

Which is Right for Marketing Your GSTN Video Online?

If you have enlisted the services of Green Screen Talent Now to create your professional marketing video, the next logical step is to decide which of these formidable video hosting services to use. To be perfectly honest, neither of them will likely be detrimental to your content marketing strategy, but as you look to make nuanced choices about drawing the RIGHT audience, you might find that one works better than the other. If you’re using YouTube just as an embedded player, you can try using Vimeo for a change; or, if you want to create videos that go viral, perhaps YouTube is the more logical choice.

The key with all video content is to render it popular by integrating with a strong social media presence.