Videos form an important part of the internet. Sites like YouTube or Vimeo are famous as video portals where people from all over the world upload their clips and other videos. But also the trend of posting videos on your own website to host is becoming more and more popular. However, there are a few things you should be aware of.
Why video hosting?
Websites have evolved over time. From simple text pages that occasionally featured images, they have evolved into modern sources of information. Images, slideshows and other photos are part of every interesting website. In addition, videos have become more and more important in the last few years. No matter if it's an interview or if you want to publish a video tutorial, the reasons are numerous. Videos make many things easier and more understandable than plain text and are also easier to publish. Just think of the work involved in typing up an hour-long interview.
What are the options for video hosting?
Generally, you have two options for video hosting. You can either host the videos on your own server, or you can use a video provider, like YouTube, Vimeo, etc. Both options have advantages and disadvantages. If you decide to use a video hoster, then you do not have to worry about the Webspace and the resources of the videos. Once uploaded, you link or embed them on your website. The downside is that you have little to no control over the videos. If your video is deleted from the site or the site discontinues their service, the videos are gone. In addition, the loading time can increase, since the content must first be retrieved from the other website and then loaded into the browser.
If, on the other hand, you decide to host the videos on your own website, then you have full control over your content yourself. You can upload and update the videos and they will be retrieved directly from the website. You also don't have to worry about any copyright issues the video portals may have, and worrying about the video disappearing or the site going out of business is no longer an issue. However, in exchange, videos require a lot of storage space, a lot of bandwidth and cause a lot of traffic. Unlike a video hoster, you have to take care of these things yourself in this case.
Video hosting on your own website - you have to pay attention to this
If you want to host your videos locally on the server or web space, then there are a few things to consider. Especially important here is your monthly traffic, the bandwidth and the web space. Videos, especially if they are longer and have good quality, are not only large and take up space, but they must also be retrieved and loaded by the browser. A small bandwidth can then lead to the loading taking too long, the videos being ticked off and the user not even watching the video to the end. You also need to keep in mind that videos can drive a lot of traffic. If you have several videos or even many visitors who watch your videos (which should be your goal), it can quickly happen that your traffic limit is exhausted.
Ideally, you should have a web space, with unlimited traffic and a high bandwidth. You should also plan in advance how many videos you will upload and equip yourself with appropriate storage space. Here, the offers of the web hosters are very different and range from small amounts such as 10GB to large amounts or even unlimited storage space.
Ideal for video hosting: the server
Web space is usually divided space. This means that you share the server on which your website is located with other users. So if you upload a lot of videos to your site, you might use a large part of the server resources for yourself and thus limit the performance of other users' websites. For this reason, video hosting is not welcomed by many hosters and there are special guidelines.
This is where the server comes into play. A vServer, or better yet a dedicated server, gives you your own space to do whatever you want. You usually have unlimited traffic, a high and guaranteed bandwidth for yourself and can also decide on many things, such as the storage space. This way you have the certainty that the performance of your website is right without harming other users.
Look out for special video hosters
Look around on the internet. Google is your friend. There are a number of web hosts that deal specifically with video and image hosting. Here you can get the right web space packages and servers without having to worry about other users, or things like bandwidth and traffic. Such providers are occasionally a bit more expensive than the usual 0815 hoster, but for that you get all the requirements that are necessary for video hosting.
Keep in mind: Video hosting, depending on the type of videos and the system used, requires some prerequisites on the server for the videos to work. An ordinary hoster may not offer this functionality. Video hosters, on the other hand, know what it takes and provide you with everything you need for hosting. In addition, with such providers, you usually get fast and competent help in case of questions and problems, because they are familiar with the matter.
Server location and data protection
Similar to normal hosting, you should also, or maybe even especially, pay attention to the server location and data protection when hosting video. The server location has a decisive influence on how quickly your site can be accessed and also forms the legal basis for legal templates and regulations, for example in data protection. This is also important to protect your data and the content of your videos. A secure server location is of great importance, especially when it comes to your own protected material.
Conclusion
Video hosting is no longer a problem today and with a certain amount of planning and preparation you can quickly get to your video hoster. It is important that you always pay attention to webspace, traffic and bandwidth. In addition, you should not be tempted by cheap fake offers to false saving.
