Video content is now the real goldmine in online marketing and on social media platforms. From Facebook to Instagram, YouTube, and even WhatsApp through status updates. However, most of these platforms still do not cut it as far as video marketing is concerned. This is why Online Video Platforms (VPs) are the real deal here.

With OVPs you can create professional online video marketing content. This option gives you lots of business benefits which include live streaming and monetization plans to video marketing support. With online video marketing platforms, broadcasters can hold virtual meetings online and also live stream their events, and get monetary returns in the process.

What is a Online Video Platform?

An online video platform (OVP) is a service provider that gives broadcasters a platform for video hosting inclusive of a live streaming software that allows its users to broadcast and upload content to their audiences. Hence, these platforms have in-built video players that permit adaptive streaming on any device.

Online video platforms offer businesses the chance to monetize their video content while they also market their products or services. You can access these videos from anywhere because they are cloud-based. The use of OVD covers wide areas including entertainment, education, and industries among others.

Why is YouTube Not Good Enough for Video Marketing?

YouTube is the most popular online video streaming platform. It is a consumer-grade broadcasting option that most businesses use to set up their online video platform. However, YouTube is more of a social video platform. It is not a professional platform for creating videos for marketing and businesses purposes.

Since YouTube is limited in its monetization options and does not give its users full ownership of their content, it is not ideal for business hosting purposes. YouTube monetization is based on ads alone but video platforms bring in revenue via pay-per-view or subscription.

For businesses that need to create training and educational video content, YouTube is not the best platform for that because of privacy policies. You don’t want to upload confidential and sensitive information about your businesses on a social media platform like YouTube. You don’t own the exclusive right to your content with YouTube.

These and more are the reasons why YouTube just might not be good enough as an online video platform for your business. Hence, for businesses to leverage on the potency of video marketing, they need to seek better options to YouTube. This is where online video platforms come into the picture for your brand.

The Best Online Video Platforms

Now that we have a good idea of what a video platform is and why the most streaming platform “YouTube” might not be good enough for online video marketing let us take a look at the best online video platforms.

We will take a look at some of the best Online Video platforms and discuss them briefly in the sections to follow.

#1 Uscreen

Uscreen is a video platform that is good for monetizing your videos. So, if you are out to make some good cash off your video content, then Uscreen might just be your best choice. It is an encompassing online video platform that offers a full package for monetizing your videos.

It is a perfect choice for Video-on-Demand (VOD) and live streaming. With this software, you can easily upload your videos online and get paid for traffic generated.

You can customize your platform using the multiple themes available on Uscreen. It allows you to include auto play options, adjusts playback, and process your payments across the globe from your dashboard.

Unlike YouTube that depends on video ads for monetization, Uscreen depends on your own VOD service and monetization comes from how many people are subscribed to your channel. You can even make your video available to your audiences on a pay-per-view model.

Top features available on Uscreen include the following;

  • It operates via a web-based interface
  • 24/7 customer support
  • On-demand video streaming
  • Monetization is based on monetization and pay-per-view
  • Bulk uploading facility
  • It offers detailed reports and analytics
  • Direct social media sharing
  • Dedicated training resources.

Uscreen pricing has three types; basic plan, amplify plan, and enterprise plan which is at custom rates.

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#2 Dacast

Dacast is best for unified streaming purposes. It is capable of hosting both on-demand and live video content. The dacast platform is also able to provide OTT video streaming and cloud-based live streaming across all devices.

Users of Dacast have access to the top-tier live streaming CDNs to reach their global audience. It is suitable for small to medium business owners and broadcasters who stream to their audiences.

The important features on Dacast include the following;

  • 24/7 customer support on all plans, this includes live chat and email.
  • Secured video hosting.
  • Monetization based on video-on-demand content.
  • Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) ingest, streaming support, and playback.
  • Offers password protection to enhance video security.
  • Video API available on premium plans.
  • Player API is available on 3rd party player integration.
  • Cloud video transcending including true Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR).
  • Ad-free streaming.
  • Zoom live streaming integration for live events and meetings in real-time.
  • Live encoding support
  • Multi-user access on custom and scale plans.
  • Multiple-bitrate streaming for video-on-demand.
  • Real-time video streaming analytics.
  • Expo 2.0 galleries video portal.

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#3 Wistia

Wistia is an online video platform that is best suited for digital marketing. This platform specializes in offering a television-grade video experience that will, in turn, help your audience grow.

With Wistia, broadcasters and marketers can increase the number of their subscribers and audiences. This will over time increase sales. Wistia allows you to create videos for marketing, remarketing purposes, and you can also focus on a target audience.

You can personalize or customize video experiences to customers in different niches with the help of Wistia. The downside to Wistia is that it is expensive and might not be suitable for small business owners. It also cannot be used for live streaming.

 Top features on Wistia include the following;

  • Global content delivery.
  • It easily integrates with other platforms such as HubSpot, and Marketo.
  • Unlimited bandwidth and viewers.
  • Automated SEO
  • A/B testing and audience tracking
  • Advanced analytics
  • Works on mobile devices
  • Auto play and dedicated channels
  • Fast and quality playback experience
  • Interactive video marketing features
  • Completely customizable video player
  • Ad-free experience

Wistia is one of the few online video platforms that offer users an entirely free plan. After getting to understand the platform for free then you can decide to upgrade to one of the three paid plans.

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#4 IBM Cloud Video

IBM cloud video focuses on providing enterprise streaming solutions including streaming services and cloud video hosting. The streaming manager is a core feature of IBM cloud video. It includes upload, content management, and delivery for on-demand and live video content.

The key features on IBM cloud video are as follows;

  • Mobile streaming
  • 4K streaming
  • OTT video management
  • Reliable workflow and video distribution
  • It distributes content using IBM internal CDN
  • Enterprise video streaming
  • It has both white-label video player and API is only available with high-end plans

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#5 Vimeo

This is a video platform that is best for professional content creators. Vimeo is different from social media-based platforms such as Dailymotion and YouTube because it is designed more for professionals. Vimeo has more than 90 million users since it began operation in 2014.

Vimeo offers flexibility as compared to other online video platforms. It can accommodate videos of multiple bitrates, encodings, and resolutions. It also offers a great viewing experience as it is ads-free.

You can embed videos from your Vimeo platform onto your website. It has customizable settings with which you can create, upload, and download videos with unlimited bandwidth. The live streaming feature on Vimeo is also great for users who want to reach a global audience.

Important features on Vimeo include;

  • White-label service
  • Great monetization tools
  • Live audience chat
  • You can integrate with any website
  • Privacy tools
  • Full-HD quality
  • Adaptive bitrate streaming
  • Works on all device video player
  • Stock footage
  • Ads-free viewing experience
  • Customizable HTML5 video player
  • Screen recording options and live streaming
  • Clutterless collaboration tools
  • Predefined video templates

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#6 Kaltura

Kaltura offers a unique focus in online video platforms with the video management foundation in its open-source software. It offers hosting solutions and a cloud-based video platform distribution services for both live streams and video-on-demand.

It is a good tool for customization. With the open-source capabilities, its users can create and share unlimited integrations and add-ons.

The top features on Kaltura include;

  • VOD hosting and live streaming
  • Great for customizing
  • Live transcoding, great video marketing tools, and live production software.
  • Its monetization option includes AVOD, SVOD, and PPV streaming among others.
  • It has good authentication and encryption options
  • Video APIs, developer tools, SDKs, and code recipes.
  • Adaptive streaming and multi-bitrate

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#7 JW Player

JW Player was initially developed as a video player but it has since diversified to become a video hosting platform. It recently became a live streaming platform and also offers delivery services.

It is a video player tool that is based on open-source coding. JW player offers video hosting solutions for businesses and it supports OTT services that let its users have access to advanced analytics.

The top features on the JW player include the following;

  • It offers up to 1080p HD streaming
  • VOD and live streaming
  • Monetization is based on ads
  • Email support through its $100 per month subscription plan
  • Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
  • Custom video galleries
  • Cloud-based content management tool
  • Video API access on all plans
  • DRM is available on only Custom-priced Enterprise plans

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#8 Brightcove

Brightcove is most suitable for owners of large businesses. It is an online video platform that gives big businesses the chance to provide on-demand, HD, and live video solutions to their audiences. Brightcove uses the HTNL5 standard for its media player.

Brightcove supports dynamic ads, over-the-top (OTT) videos, and advanced analytics. It is an enterprise video platform that allows your business full ownership rights to your video content, unlike what is obtainable with YouTube. With this, you have nothing to worry about copyright infringement.

Brightcove easily integrates with other tools like Google Ads Manager, and Marketo. It focuses on the distribution of large-scale external videos.

Important features on Brightcove include;

  • Customized video portals
  • Cloud-based transcoding
  • 24/7 support
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Adaptive bitrates
  • Supports unlimited video length and file size
  • Streaming on all devices is possible
  • Compatibility with several file formats
  • It easily integrates with social media and marketing tools

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#9 Flowplayer

Flow player is a video platform that is good for both small and large media businesses. It is popularly known for its top-of-the-line monetization options and white-label streaming services.

Flowplayer is an online video platform that is straightforward to use.

Key features on Flowplayer are as follows;

  • Live streaming
  • High-quality video player
  • VOD hosting and live streaming
  • It offers great monetization options
  • iOS SDK and Android for mobile app development
  • It provides real-time video analytics.

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#10 Vidyard

Vidyard is an online video platform that is superb for lead generation. It is a video platform that allows you to integrate videos into your marketing strategy. It has many features that are essential for all you need to provide a great marketing solution.

With Vidyard, you can increase your viewership and also grow your audience in no time. It is a video platform that helps to increase your reach through its excellent video management tools. It includes options for video hosting and social sharing.

It is backed by excellent video analytics and it easily integrates with many business tools like Marketo, Gmail, and Salesforce.

Important features on Vidyard include;

  • Screen recording
  • Video playlists
  • Personalized videos
  • CRM integrations
  • Automatic transcripts
  • Individual-level analytics
  • Easy video uploader widget
  • Animated previews
  • Fast video uploads and editing
  • SSO and password protection
  • Easy video optimization and sharing

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#11 Wowza

Wowza is an online video platform that was started in 2005. It came into the market to make video delivery as simple as possible. It is a tool that supports both on-demand and live video streaming. It is available and can be used for streaming on all devices.

It offers its streaming engine and streaming cloud to give its users an all-in-one streaming solution. Wowza allows its users to create fully customized streaming workflows by integrating third-party APIs and some other advanced features.

Important features available on Wowza include the following;

  • VOD hosting and live streaming
  • Cloud transcoding
  • HTML5 video player for multiple device video streaming
  • Responsive customer support
  • White-label video player for advanced customization
  • API Access

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Summary

We live in a global world where video content reigns supreme and as such, any business that is not tapping into this trend of video content creation would soon be left behind. This is why almost 90% of businesses are now keying into the use of videos for illustrations about their products and services.

Most businesses now have video marketing channels due to the high demand for Online Video Platforms (OVP). Why wouldn’t you want to have a video platform for your business? When you can reach out to your audiences, clients, and customers and still get monetary rewards.

From all the video online platforms highlighted, take your time to study each, run trials on some of them, especially those that offer free trials. Then make an informed decision on which of them will best suit your business.

Once you decide on the best one for your business, go for the best plan for your business based on what your choice has to offer. Before you know it, your business will be on the global map and you will be amazed at the reach and sales that will come in.

Do not deny your business the best coverage. If you are focused on monetizing your videos go for Uscreen.

If you are more concerned about having the best adaptive live streaming go for JW Player.

If your business needs more professional content, then Vimeo night just be your best bet.

If you are all about digital marketing, Wistia is your best choice for this.

If you are a large media house or run large businesses, then do not hesitate to go for Brightcove.

For exceptional lead generation, go for an online video platform like Vidyard.

Datacast is good for both small and medium-scale business owners.

If your business is all about white-label streaming with an enhanced monetization goal, then Flowplayer should be your preferred choice. It is suitable for small and large business owners.

If your business is all about video delivery, then Wowza is your best choice; it offers simplified video delivery.

If your business is centered around educational institutions, then you might want to go for Kaltura as it is also an open-source software.

For your enterprise streaming solutions, IBM cloud video is your best bet.

It can be a real challenge to decide the best choice for your business but with this summary, you have a guide to choose right among the many online video platforms on the market. Success awaits your brand if you can make the right decisions.