YouTube is the current leader in online video production company. It is used by professionals and amateurs, and has even turned some amateurs into unique kinds of professionals. However, YouTube has a set of limitations that might make it less than ideal for your company. Consider these aspects before using the site to host your corporate videos.
Appearance
- No real thumbnail choice – you’re limited to 3 random images that YouTube selects for you to represent your video to everyone. UNLESS YOU ARE A PARTNER
- Limited and difficult customization – some tweaks are possible, but you would have to rely on some programming knowledge. (Read our ReelSEO article, “How to customize YouTube player embeds.”)
Streaming Quality
- Inconsistent streaming – viewers may experience slow playback during high traffic times.
- Blocked by companies. Many companies block their employees from browsing YouTube while at work – which is where they would be looking for your services. (Read our ReelSEO article, “YouTube is the 3rd most blocked website, Facebook first.”) So if you are trying to get more B2B customers and they typically browse at work, they wont be able to watch it.
- No Adaptive Bit-Rate Streaming. Wonder why you sometimes experience considerable buffering that slows down watching a YouTube video? That’s because YouTube can’t detect your bandwidth and CPU capacity in real time and adjust the quality of its video stream accordingly. Considerable buffering can mean slow start times, stops in-between, and an overall inadequate viewing experience for some connections.
Advertising
- Unwanted competition – YouTube can feature advertisements around your videos from your competitors. These may appear in the “related videos” section, in the “promoted videos” ads, overlay ads, and sometimes as banner ads.
- Can’t use your own ad network.
Video SEO
- Google indexing – no way to rely on any videos and their thumbnail images showing up in Google’s universal search results for your own domain (or Google’s Video Search engine). YouTube videos from your own channel that appear in Google’s search results will not take people directly to your own Website.
Other Cons
- NO customer service – sending in a question or request may not be answered, or may not get you an actual customer support person to give you something other than a canned response.
- Account shutdown – YouTube can shut down your account at any time, for any reason.
- Limited length – each video is limited to under 15 minutes length
- Takedowns – Enforcement of their guidelines considered arbitrary, and have proven difficult sometimes to dispute and counter file.
Visit REELSEO to read more. To find out how we can help you with your next video production company project, call or email us today!
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