The advantages of using a video hosting site like Wistia

When most people think of video hosting sites, YouTube instantly comes to mind. Seeing that the site is generating billions of views per day, it’s easy to understand why. But while YouTube is no doubt the cream of the crop, it is only one of the many hosting options available. In this article we will discuss the potential of Wistia and the advantages of businesses using it as a marketing tool.

Strictly business

YouTube and Wistia are both great choices for video hosting and sharing. However, there are some differences between the two. For example, while YouTube caters to both consumers and marketers, Wistia is strictly focused on business use. As a result, the site is equipped with quite a few features that you will not find on YouTube. Features that stand out include the ability to control who views your content by individual user, and integrate the videos you upload with MailChimp’s email marketing platform. The latter feature is helping Wistia become a big hit with email marketers.

Access control and email marketing integration are great, but built-in analytics is arguably the best thing Wistia has going for it. The video hosting platform allows you to view reports that provide an in-depth look at how users are interacting with your content. This means that if someone watched one of your videos, you can see that they viewed it, and from exactly which point they started viewing. Wistia’s analytics also helps in ways such as identifying your most engaged viewers, which videos receive the most plays, and who is watching your videos in real-time.

But Wistia doesn’t stop there. The site also offers a suite of content management tools that you typically only find bundled in high-end marketing systems. Familiar content management functionality includes the ability to have multiple individuals within your organizations work independently from a single account. Once logged in, those users can upload and post video under their own names, send and receive messages, and keep up with the contacts they have made through the site. In this regard, Wistia functions more like an enterprise version of blogging applications such as WordPress or content management systems such as Joomla than a conventional video hosting platform.

A spot reserved in the video marketing space

The more popular video becomes, the greater marketing power it will yield. This is true on a global scale as it continues to grow and be embraced  in developing nations. And while YouTube will likely be around for some time to come, when it comes to video marketing, it is just one in an expanding sea of options. Wistia is proving to be a reliable solution, so when combined with your existing video strategy that revolves around YouTube, it can really help you take those efforts to an all new level.