YouTube or a private video platform?

Thanks to increased internet speed and the new generation of mobile devices, video now is everywhere. Video is playing an increasingly important role in the content strategy and marketing mix of organizations. Every marketing professional who works with online video is faced with the following choice: Do I choose YouTube because of the range, or an own private video platform because it offers better opportunities for branding, conversion and control? This article will help you which content strategy is best for you.

5 main principles:

1. Are you targeting an existing audience or are you trying to reach a new audience?
2. Where do you want to reach the viewer?
3. Do you want to generate direct revenue with video?
4. Is everyone allowed to access the video or only a private or paid group?
5. What do you want your audience to do during or after your video?

It’s a common misconception that YouTube is a free service. They offer their service for “free”, but in fact, you yourself are the product.

Google makes a lot of money by targeting audience as relevant as possible.This means that they will show relevant ads before, during and after the video. And this is also the biggest downside! When you upload a video of your company or your product, chances are big that YouTube shows ads related to similar products or even worse, your biggest competitors! YouTube is therefore not the ideal video platform for business to convert viewers into customers. They are easily distracted by ads and/or related videos.

Activate your audience on your own website or Facebook page

Do you want to inform, enthuse, or convert your viewers on your own website or webshop using video? Then we strongly recommend using a private video hosting platform. This way you have more grip on the viewer. You can always embed YouTube video on your own website. Do realize that the visitors to your website are just one click away from YouTube where they can get seduced by ads and other content. Prevent this and make sure your visitor is only one click away from getting to where you want them.

Branding & Control

A private video platform allows you to customize a video player to exactly match your corporate identity, a player that is one with your website. Not only does this look more attractive, it also increases the chances of a video being played. And the most important thing, you keep your visitor on your website at all times!

Generating revenue

A private video platform also offers several opportunities for generating extra revenue and shielding content. Videos for internal purposes (e.g.: eLearning) or a paid video on demand channel for example. With a private video platform it’s possible to show videos on secured pages or after a payment is done.

Interactions

Keep the goal of your video in mind and accordingly enrich your own video player with clickable elements, contact forms, brochures or presentations. Pretty much all of the actions are measurable and can be tracked in an advanced dashboard. By doing this, you can get a clear view of how a video is performing in terms of interaction, drop-offs and more. Valuable information that will aid you in reaching y0ur video targets.

When you want to inform or convert existing visitors on your site with video, a private video platform is better than YouTube. When you want to inform the viewer or convert them on site, you need to keep the viewers’ attention. Where the viewer of a video on YouTube is quickly distracted by related videos and advertisements, you determine on your own site how a video is shown.

In short, by using the goals you set for you videos and deciding where you want to place them, determine which video platform is most suitable for you. Do you go for a wide reach or do you choose grip on your viewers, together with  control over branding, conversion and privacy?