Editorial Articles

Simon Wilcox, Managing Director at Digital Craftsmen, considers the host of hosting options available to companies utilising video

Flogging you widgets, putting you face-to-face with a hippo on safari in Botswana, teaching your mum how to crochet with a corkscrew — video is now a ubiquitous part of the corporate comms mix. It’s also the fastest growing media platform ever, making up more than a third of consumer internet traffic.

But where should we be putting all this stuff? How can comms managers avoid extortionate hosting charges yet maximise control and returns? And how can agencies exploit the medium, adding more value to both client projects and their bottom line?

Here are some answers. Those looking to host video essentially have three options: the default choice of YouTube; a platform such as Brightcove; or a bespoke hosting package built to their specification.

If you’re launching a social media campaign based on user-generated content, then YouTube is the clear front runner. It’s free, even the Luddites can understand it and it can handle massive traffic spikes.

However, if a major TV campaign is driving hundreds of thousands of consumers to your video content, then a pay-as-you-go contract with a big hosting player is probably your best route. Such brokers can handle complex interactivity and Himalayan peaks and troughs, while providing detailed tracking. The downside: billing is elastic, so your invoice could leave a sizeable hole in your budget.

But what if you’re managing a more complex project where video plays a critical, central role? You might need to manage sophisticated interactivity and seek in-depth control over the front- and back-end. You may want to make money through pay-per-view or limit access to over 18s. You may want to customise formats according to user needs and devices. Or perhaps you just don’t want the CEO’s pep talk to sputter to a halt due to a server meltdown beyond your control.
 
In these instances - and as long as traffic levels are relatively constant - I’d recommend a bespoke solution. It can be built entirely around your needs, offer greater control and be purchased for a fixed cost, which procurement departments like.

Point Blank, a leading music production and DJ college, uses video extensively for tutorials, course work and music applications. They looked at public free services and paid for video hosting services before opting for a custom solution that has the flexibility to securely support server side applications including a funky on-line mixing app, enabling budding Mark Ronsons to splice and distribute MP3 creations on-line. Scalable, available and 100 per cent bespoke.

Interestingly, an in-house hosting platform can also open up new revenue streams for agencies, enabling them to offer tailored hosting, interactivity, measurement and monitoring to multiple clients. So when planning your video hosting, press the pause button and match the platform to the campaign, not the other way round.