Online video content is at an all-time high, commanding the majority of all traffic generated by the web. As a result, we often get asked to compare Vimeo vs. YouTube.
In general, videos have a large file size. For them to function well, they need a lot of storage space and bandwidth. Since most website owners lack the space and bandwidth, it’s common to use other sites which specialize in hosting videos.
YouTube and Vimeo are both popular platforms, each with advantages and disadvantages. So the question becomes, Vimeo Vs. YouTube, which platform should you use on your website to display videos?
This article will compare both platforms to help you make an informed decision.
Vimeo vs. YouTube: Overview
Every platform has unique qualities, so your choice will depend on your specific needs. For example, after creating a channel on the site offering video hosting, you can embed the link to the videos hosted on the site on your business website.
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Search and Audience
Selecting a platform to host your videos is an important decision for a small to medium-sized business. Most people choose YouTube for the size of the audience and the ability to optimize the search.
YouTube is popular due to the ease and convenience when uploading and sharing videos for free. In addition, no limitations on content topics make it the go-to place for all types of videos.
Vimeo has a smaller community when compared to YouTube. However, keep in mind that 90% of Vimeo users use paid subscription plans, making it more attractive to professionals.
When adding a video to use on your website, consider the purpose of the video. If your website focuses more on volume than engaging a small audience, YouTube is the better choice. It’s simple to use, the video quality expectations are not high, and it’s easily sharable on social platforms.
Content Diversity and Usage
The type of content on the video you intend to link to your website will determine the platform you’ll use to add a video.
YouTube has no limitation on the type of content available, making it the most influential platform for video makers. Creators can upload instructional videos, educational videos, and even vlogs.
Vimeo is significantly different when considering the type of content available. Professionals gain access to a platform where they can upload and share videos of high quality and expect insightful feedback.
Privacy Controls
Some types of videos are not supposed to be exposed to competition, like videos about training or software.
The level of privacy on Vimeo is more advanced, as you can protect your videos with a password. In addition, it’s possible to link these videos to other password-protected posts on your website on WordPress.
In comparison, YouTube is very different. It only has three settings on privacy; Private, public, and unlisted, making protecting your content challenging.
Video Quality
On Vimeo, it’s possible to embed and host videos of the highest quality. This is especially advantageous to professionals, as the videos are not compressed.
Vimeo also allows the customization of videos hosted or embedded videos. It’s possible to alter some aspects of how the video appears, such as color, recommended videos, and branding.
On YouTube, the ability to customize embedded videos is often limited. In addition, recommended videos are random, making it a challenge when embedding a video on your website.
If the purpose of the video you’re adding to your site is to enhance direct engagement, Vimeo is the better option. It has a more refined look and has tools to ensure privacy. For example, password protection provides private sharing and feedback collection before distributing the content widely.
Video Editing
Both platforms have valuable tools to edit and manage videos when adding a video to your website.
The video editor on YouTube allows you to create a video from already uploaded content. Since the editing tools are web-based, the video creation procedure is relatively easy.
YouTube also lets you include links, captions, annotations, and subtitles in your videos. You can also use the live streaming option to show live events.
Vimeo has limited features that allow video editing but has the essential tools. For example, you can add a description, title, license, audience rating, and category.
It’s also possible to upload subtitles and captions for the videos, but Vimeo has no annotation features. This becomes a challenge if you want to include links that users can click on in your videos.
One outstanding feature of Vimeo over YouTube is the ability to replace a video with a more recent version without changing the video’s URL and statistics.
This feature is handy when correcting a mistake or updating some details. You can do so without losing the number of views, and the original URL remains intact.
When uploading videos, YouTube is easier to set up using the pre-availed YouTube element. You can drag and drop the video on your website where you’d like it. If your business often needs to adjust uploaded videos, Vimeo is more suitable for you.
Search Engine Optimization
Undoubtedly, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are vital aspects of marketing and advertisement. Due to the massive number of users and searches on YouTube, it’s the second-largest search engine after Google.
Google prioritizes results from YouTube before other video sources, such as Vimeo. Therefore, if the purpose of adding videos to your website is to increase traffic and rank higher on Google, YouTube is the better choice.
When you host your videos on YouTube, you can leverage both Google and YouTube search engines.
Video Quality
When including a video on your website, video quality is an essential factor.
Vimeo offers more bitrate than YouTube and accommodates better sound quality. However, you’ll need to subscribe to a payment plan to access this quality.
If you upload one video to both sites, the quality is better on Vimeo. However, due to the high number of uploads on YouTube, the videos get compressed and lose quality.
Video Creation
Both platforms facilitate live streaming if you need to add a live video to your site. On YouTube, live streaming is free, but on Vimeo, you need to be on the Enterprise or Premium plan.
When creating the video, Vimeo is easy to use, but for editing and live streaming videos, YouTube is better.
Analytics
After adding a video to your website, you’ll need to measure the effectiveness of this strategy depending on your goals. This data is vital for your business, as it enables you to continue adjusting your videos depending on what’s more effective.
On Vimeo, some of the metrics available include engagement, view count, and demographics. You’ll need to be on a paid plan to access all analytics. The analytics interface on Vimeo is challenging to navigate and locate the data that’s important to your business.
YouTube monitors the same metrics as Vimeo but offers more diverse information and additional demographic metrics such as age and gender.
The analytics on YouTube makes it possible to narrow down to the specific videos generating more traffic to your site. You can determine your videos’ click-through rate, customer retention, and updated data.
Embedding and Player Options
When embedding and controlling video settings, Vimeo is the better option. You can select where to embed the videos and control embedding to your site. In addition, the web player is customizable, making it possible to brand the videos.
It’s perfect for expert testimonial videos, expert presentations, and videos about your product. The Vimeo Business plan and above enable you to create options to generate leads. For example, you’re able to customize call-to-actions within the video and set up email capture.
On Vimeo, it’s possible to restrict the specific URLs on which the video can get embedded. This prevents other people from only linking to the video without connecting to your website.
YouTube has more restrictions regarding embedding settings. If you disable embedding for your videos, you’ll also restrict yourself from embedding the video on your site.
Vimeo vs. YouTube: So, Which One Is the Better Option?
Video production and marketing is an investment, so you need to compare Vimeo vs. YouTube to determine the best fit.
Regardless of the size, every business can benefit from hosting videos on YouTube before switching to Vimeo. YouTube has a larger audience, enhancing your website pages’ performance on search engines.
For a start, it’s advisable to use both Vimeo and YouTube. As the business grows and requires branding, better video quality, and more privacy control, you can then switch to Vimeo.
For more information on all social media platforms and videos, contact White Peak and speak with an expert today!
Tim Woda is the CEO and founder of White Peak Marketing. He has been on the founding team of five successful start-ups and his digital marketing campaigns have acquired more than 800 million customers for his start-ups and White Peak’s client companies. Tim has been featured by The New York Times, Fox News, Forbes, The Huffington Post, and more. Under Tim’s direction, White Peak was selected as one of America’s Top Digital Marketing Agencies for 2021 by MarTech Outlook magazine.
