In 2019, video content is expected to command 80% of all web traffic. If you haven't started thinking about how video fits into your long-term marketing strategy, now is the time to start taking it seriously.
Before you start creating videos, it’s important to find out where you’ll be hosting them. YouTube is obviously the largest video hosting platform on the web, but it may not be the best option for all companies.
To help you find the best fit for your company's unique needs, we compare YouTube directly with Vimeo, the smaller and more diverse niche platform, among several factors. Read on to see the results and decide for yourself.
There is no real competition here. YouTube commands an audience of more than a billion users - about a third of the entire population who use the Internet. Vimeo's 240 million monthly viewers and 35 million registered users seem insignificant in contrast. For maximum reach, choose YouTube.
YouTube leaves Vimeo in the dust here. YouTube is the second largest search engine on the Internet, after parent company Google. If you plan to create a custom video for a specific search query (for example, how to choose a source for your website), your video belongs to YouTube. In addition to appearing in search results directly on YouTube, Google also appears to favor YouTube videos over those published on other platforms.
More than half of all YouTube views are from mobile devices, and the YouTube mobile app is absolutely dominating the mobile broadcast space - even surpassing formidable competitors like Netflix, Hulu and Twitch.
Videos uploaded to Vimeo and YouTube are automatically optimized for mobile devices, but YouTube offers more discoveries and reaches opportunities for mobile devices.
YouTube is free - even for businesses. Vimeo operates on a tiered pricing model, ranging from a free basic plan to a $ 50 / month commercial package.
With its paid packages, Vimeo offers several levels of technical support that can change the game for companies without much video experience. YouTube offers an abundance of free help documentation and access to a (somewhat crowded) support community, but if you're looking for personalized support on demand, a paid Vimeo account is the best option.
YouTube offers unlimited free storage for all accounts, while Vimeo charges for tiered storage. The basic and free option of the Vimeo account offers 500 MB of storage per week. With the highest package at $ 50 / month, you can store a total of 5 TB without weekly limits.
If you upload your videos to YouTube, there’s a good chance that a pre-roll ad will play before it, with the potential to prevent some viewers from remaining. At the moment, Vimeo does not allow ads and it does not appear that they will change this policy any time soon.
If you're thinking about showing your own ads on a video platform, you can't beat YouTube (you can't buy ad space on Vimeo, even if you wanted to, because they don't allow it).
YouTube offers an advanced, easy-to-use ad platform, plus personalized support from a "YouTube Advertising Specialist" when you spend $ 10 a day on ads.
User numbers don't tell the whole story. With such a large audience on YouTube, the environment is naturally more competitive. It's easier for your video to be drowned out by thousands of others, if you don't plan on showing it somewhere outside of YouTube. The smaller, more community-oriented platform of Vimeo may be a better option if you want to explore an existing creative niche or stand out on the employee selection page selected by him.
YouTube and Vimeo offer the option to define videos as private or public (the default setting on YouTube is public), but Vimeo offers a number of more specific and differentiated privacy options, if that suits your interests. You can add a password protection option to videos, share a video only with people who follow your account, or even hide it from the Vimeo.com community - which can be useful if you plan to embed the video on your website and want it visible in just one place.
Vimeo's elegant internal player offers several useful personalization options that YouTube cannot match, including the customization of hexadecimal colors and the ability to include a custom player logo (in Business and PRO accounts). In addition, when you change the default personalization options in your account, all previously embedded videos are updated to reflect the changes automatically, without having to go back and violate any code.
YouTube takes the win here, because all of its analytics - from basic statistics, like views to more advanced options - is completely free. Vimeo also offers powerful analysis tools to assess performance, but you will need to pay to access everything except basic statistics.
It largely depends on what exactly you want to accomplish with your videos. If you're looking for a creative community where you can connect with other video creators and get some exposure in a specific niche, Vimeo is a better place to start sharing your content. If you have business goals that revolve heavily around search and ad optimization, YouTube is your best bet.
Before you start creating videos, it’s important to find out where you’ll be hosting them. YouTube is obviously the largest video hosting platform on the web, but it may not be the best option for all companies.
To help you find the best fit for your company's unique needs, we compare YouTube directly with Vimeo, the smaller and more diverse niche platform, among several factors. Read on to see the results and decide for yourself.
Number of users
Winner: YouTubeThere is no real competition here. YouTube commands an audience of more than a billion users - about a third of the entire population who use the Internet. Vimeo's 240 million monthly viewers and 35 million registered users seem insignificant in contrast. For maximum reach, choose YouTube.
Search optimization
Winner: YouTubeYouTube leaves Vimeo in the dust here. YouTube is the second largest search engine on the Internet, after parent company Google. If you plan to create a custom video for a specific search query (for example, how to choose a source for your website), your video belongs to YouTube. In addition to appearing in search results directly on YouTube, Google also appears to favor YouTube videos over those published on other platforms.
Mobile
Winner: YouTubeMore than half of all YouTube views are from mobile devices, and the YouTube mobile app is absolutely dominating the mobile broadcast space - even surpassing formidable competitors like Netflix, Hulu and Twitch.
Videos uploaded to Vimeo and YouTube are automatically optimized for mobile devices, but YouTube offers more discoveries and reaches opportunities for mobile devices.
Cost
Winner: YouTubeYouTube is free - even for businesses. Vimeo operates on a tiered pricing model, ranging from a free basic plan to a $ 50 / month commercial package.
Support
Winner: VimeoWith its paid packages, Vimeo offers several levels of technical support that can change the game for companies without much video experience. YouTube offers an abundance of free help documentation and access to a (somewhat crowded) support community, but if you're looking for personalized support on demand, a paid Vimeo account is the best option.
Storage
Winner: YouTubeYouTube offers unlimited free storage for all accounts, while Vimeo charges for tiered storage. The basic and free option of the Vimeo account offers 500 MB of storage per week. With the highest package at $ 50 / month, you can store a total of 5 TB without weekly limits.
No pre-launch Ads
Winner: VimeoIf you upload your videos to YouTube, there’s a good chance that a pre-roll ad will play before it, with the potential to prevent some viewers from remaining. At the moment, Vimeo does not allow ads and it does not appear that they will change this policy any time soon.
How to run ad campaigns
Winner: YouTubeIf you're thinking about showing your own ads on a video platform, you can't beat YouTube (you can't buy ad space on Vimeo, even if you wanted to, because they don't allow it).
YouTube offers an advanced, easy-to-use ad platform, plus personalized support from a "YouTube Advertising Specialist" when you spend $ 10 a day on ads.
Community
Winner: VimeoUser numbers don't tell the whole story. With such a large audience on YouTube, the environment is naturally more competitive. It's easier for your video to be drowned out by thousands of others, if you don't plan on showing it somewhere outside of YouTube. The smaller, more community-oriented platform of Vimeo may be a better option if you want to explore an existing creative niche or stand out on the employee selection page selected by him.
Advanced privacy options
Winner: VimeoYouTube and Vimeo offer the option to define videos as private or public (the default setting on YouTube is public), but Vimeo offers a number of more specific and differentiated privacy options, if that suits your interests. You can add a password protection option to videos, share a video only with people who follow your account, or even hide it from the Vimeo.com community - which can be useful if you plan to embed the video on your website and want it visible in just one place.
Customizable player
Winner: VimeoVimeo's elegant internal player offers several useful personalization options that YouTube cannot match, including the customization of hexadecimal colors and the ability to include a custom player logo (in Business and PRO accounts). In addition, when you change the default personalization options in your account, all previously embedded videos are updated to reflect the changes automatically, without having to go back and violate any code.
Google Analytics
Winner: YouTubeYouTube takes the win here, because all of its analytics - from basic statistics, like views to more advanced options - is completely free. Vimeo also offers powerful analysis tools to assess performance, but you will need to pay to access everything except basic statistics.
So, which one should you choose?
It largely depends on what exactly you want to accomplish with your videos. If you're looking for a creative community where you can connect with other video creators and get some exposure in a specific niche, Vimeo is a better place to start sharing your content. If you have business goals that revolve heavily around search and ad optimization, YouTube is your best bet.
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