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The amount of TV we watch has been steadily declining for some time now. But that doesn’t mean people are consuming less content. Today’s viewers are truly spoiled for choice regarding streaming options. VOD stands for video on demand, and it’s making waves in the content delivery and entertainment industry.
Video on demand (VOD) is the future of online content delivery. The popularity of VOD services is because it doesn’t need to be viewed live like live-streaming.
So it’s no surprise that year-over-year viewing times on VOD platforms went up 155%.
Think of VOD services as visiting the library and checking out a book of your choice. The difference is that VOD services store videos, not books. VOD streaming software never stores videos on a customer’s phone or device.
That makes VOD services safer for content creators, giving them additional protection against piracy and copying of their intellectual property.
VOD isn’t just a great video streaming service for entertainment and media. A recent HubSpot survey revealed that audiences prefer to watch content in video form over all other forms, including emails, infographics, and blog articles.
Video is a very powerful way to resonate with your client base and magnetize new customers for broadcasters, SMBs, and enterprise brands.
In this post, we will discuss what video on demand is and how your business or organization can benefit from VOD services. We’ll contrast live streaming with video-on-demand platforms. To wrap things up, we will look at a few of the best VOD platforms on the market.
What is VOD Streaming?
VOD streaming platforms allow companies to store videos in a central server for sharing or selling to their viewers.
VOD stands for “video on demand.” VOD describes how you can access content from an online library. You can access video content, such as television shows, movies, and documentaries, whenever you want to.
That is different from traditional broadcast channels, where you can only access and watch content at a scheduled time. With VOD, The only requirement to access videos has an internet-compatible device that works with that service’s website or app.
A few examples of popular VOD streaming platforms include:
- Netflix
- Disney+
- Hulu
- Amazon Prime
These platforms are primarily VOD platforms. These VOD live stream platforms are run by large entertainment networks that broadcast officially licensed content, but that’s not the only way to create VOD. Small to mid-sized businesses and content creators of all genres can also leverage the benefits VOD has to offer. Any business and content creator can create their own VOD service using a video hosting platform like Mslive.
A VOD hosting platform works with independent creators, organizations, and enterprises. Selecting a VOD streaming platform that supports their needs and provides an excellent experience for its viewers is essential. It gives them the tools to host and deliver content on their websites or social media platforms.
A VOD hosting platform offers a range of services and tools, such as:
- Video hosting
- Video management
- Video delivery
- Monetization
- Security
Your content is delivered to your viewers using content delivery networks (CDNs). CDNs are a network of globally distributed servers that help deliver your content to your online audience quickly and effectively.
With a professional-grade VOD platform, you can control how and where your video content is distributed. Top-of-the-line VOD platforms offer white-label video players, so you can customize and brand the video player to match your business’s branding and services. You can embed the video player on your website and social media channels.
Professional-grade VOD platforms give businesses of all sizes the tools to offer VOD streaming services to their customers.
VOD Streaming Statistics and Trends
There are numerous professional uses for on-demand video content. You can use Video content to entertain, share information, create community engagement, and generate revenue for your business.
For most businesses, creating video content is worth the investment of resources, and monetization makes business sense because it:
- creates engagement
- is a great marketing tool
- is an effective way to share your brand’s message
- is a trusted source of information.
Engagement
Video content is engaging. Websites that include video content keep visitors engaged for longer periods of time. On average, each of us will spend about 100 minutes daily watching videos online In 2022. Proving the power of video content when it comes to engaging customers and viewers.
Messaging
Trying to get your brand’s vision across? It can be challenging to stand out among all the advertisements that customers are bombarded with daily. Video content is a more effective way to share your brand’s messages with customers than static content, such as an image or blog post.
Marketing
Video is one of the top marketing strategies used by 86% of businesses. Incorporating VOD into your digital marketing strategy is a surefire way to boost sales and engagement. Over 93% of companies credit getting new customers to posting videos regularly.
Trust
People trust video content. Over half of internet users watch a reference video of a product before shopping for it. So, Spend your resources on the medium your consumer trusts and is easier to consume.
On top of those reasons, internet users love consuming video content, making it one of the top ways to connect with your audience. Learn more about on-demand streaming statistics in our dedicated streaming statistics post.
What is the Difference Between VOD and Live Streaming?
VOD stands for video on demand; VOD services aren’t the same as live streaming. The biggest difference between VOD content and a live stream is that VOD content is recorded and generally edited before you view it, and live content is streamed in real-time.
To maximize monetization and views, many brands create VOD and live streaming content. That opens up multiple streams of revenue for them instead of just one. When you create your team’s video marketing strategy, it’s important to think long-term about your content strategy.
You can save a recording of your live streams and turn them into videos on demand. Live streams can be a great way to increase your VOD content library.
However, these two methods of streaming video content online do differ from each other. Let’s look at how they differ.
Live Streaming
Sharing real-time experiences with your audience through live streaming is a great way to create a sense of exclusivity and community, making live streaming an essential tool for businesses.
Live streaming can create a sense of community with your customers and share information with them and within your organization. That’s especially true if you have a remote workplace or offices in multiple locations. Live streams can be a great tool to harvest a positive work culture within your organization.
For your customer, you can use live streams for a wide range of real-time events, such as:
- Product demos
- Product releases
- Press releases
- Share news
Live streams can be a great way to share information and connect with your customers in real-time. It is a great way to let customers feel like they are in the know.
Live streams can also be a great internal tool for connecting with your employees and stakeholders. This is especially true if you have a remote workplace or offices in multiple locations.
You can use internal live streams for a variety of purposes, such as:
- Announcing changes within the company
- Hosting a conference
- Conducting live training sessions
- Holding meetings
Live streaming is a medium for sharing less structured and edited content, all in real-time. This quality might help resonate with a broader viewer base for specific genres.
Compared to VOD, live streaming requires a bit more technical know-how. With live streaming, you are recording video content in real-time. During a live stream, you want to minimize the delay between when something happens in real-time and when your viewers experience it through their screens.
You can achieve that with adaptive bitrate streaming, which instantly creates different versions of your content, allowing your end-viewer to watch the content in real time with minimal buffering at the best resolution for their device and internet connection.
On the back end, you will need to work with encoders to allow for the smooth delivery of your content to your viewers. Luckily, many online video platforms, such as Mslive, take care of this encoding for you.
Video On Demand (VOD) Streaming
Video-on-demand streaming software works differently than live streaming and serves different purposes.
VOD streaming allows you to perfect your content before releasing it. Live streaming is great for creating hype and channeling that is built up into views. While VOD is better for video content that follows a script. You can plan, record, edit, and fix your video before you release it. That allows you to create a polished and professional premium video experience for your viewers.
Both types of content are valuable and offer different experiences.
For customers, you can use VOD content for a variety of purposes, such as:
- Entertainment
- In-depth product demonstrations
- Educational content
- Informative content
Within your organization, you can use VOD for a variety of purposes, such as:
- Internal training
- Tutorials
- Walk-throughs
You can use VOD streaming software to create content that people across your organization will need access to over time. VOD lets viewers watch content on their schedule.
Take tutorials, for example; you can create VOD content teaching recruits in your company how a specific piece of equipment is operated. They can then refer back to it whenever need be. Troubleshooting any issues or training new employees can be easier and more streamlined this way.
VOD content fits into people’s busy lives and allows people to watch the content from any internet-connected device.
With VOD streaming, you need to work with a video hosting platform that allows you to manage and upload your content easily. You also want to work with a platform with API tools and video galleries that make it easy to share all your video content with your audience.
OTT and VOD Streaming
Although the two content delivery systems differ, you can use OTT and VOD streaming in unison to stream professional content. In case of another pandemic [knock on wood!] the duo offers a streaming solution that can facilitate organizations worldwide to go ahead with scheduled events, conferences, and shows.
Schools and universities can use the duo to provide online education materials. Churches and worship centers can share services, outreach efforts, and testimonials. Even organized sports and publishing agencies can benefit from OTT.
What Makes a Great VOD Streaming Platform?
A great VOD streaming platform provides its users with features that will allow to create content available across the world easily.
As mentioned, most consumer-based and social media video hosting options don’t meet the needs of businesses and high-volume broadcasters. These outlets have poor security controls, restricted scalability options, limited monetization options, and focus more on their branding than on their users.
In the era of video dominance and the prevalence of content, making your media content stand out is challenging. Broadcasters who are serious about providing the best online content experience choose business-grade platforms to grow their brands. By integrating video hosting, VOD, and live streaming, partners like Mslive provide the all-in-one solution that organizations and influencers need.
Here are a few reasons why using a professional online video platform makes sense.
- White label streaming: use your logos, colors, and images to ensure your brand stays front and center. Your content is served ad-free and with no interruptions.
- API and SDK access: easily integrate existing workflows or build your own OTT platform and mobile apps from scratch.
- Multi-user access: grant custom access controls and user permissions within your organization and for each audience group. Use built-in safeguards to ensure only the intended audience can view (or share) your content.
- Live stream recording: capture events as they happen and automatically save them to your VOD platform library. Organize your CMS by tags and filters to improve search options and functionality.
Scalable content delivery: provide exceptional experiences using world-class CDNs and offer multiple viewing options for a wide range of devices.
VOD Streaming Monetization Models
Many broadcasters create a successful VOD platform intending to monetize another complexity level of their content. Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+ are some of the most successful paid VOD online streaming sites.
Let’s look at three of the most common video monetization models
1. Advertising Video on Demand (AVOD)
With AVOD, users are given free access to content with the stipulation that sponsored ads are part of the experience. YouTube is a perfect example. AVOD allows broadcasters to generate revenue without requiring paywalls or ongoing subscriptions.
2. Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD)
SVOD is the monetization option that most viewers are accustomed to. This subscription-based model gives users access to content in exchange for a monthly recurring fee. Think Netflix or ESPN+.
3. Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD)
TVOD is the least common of the three options. TVOD is based on users’ paying-per-view to stream and access specific content not available elsewhere. A pay-per-view model such as HBO charging extra for a boxing match or concert broadcast online is TVOD in action. Depending on your monetization strategy, you’ll want to choose a provider that offers one (if not all) of these VOD options.
Conclusion
With VOD streaming, your audience receives valuable content and the convenience they demand.
For detailed breakdowns of each of these VOD platforms, you may want to read more in our in-depth comparison articles on live streaming and over-the-top OTT platforms.
The great part about streaming and video on demand is that it’s not an either-or proposition – broadcasters gain the most by utilizing both. You can create live streams to interact, build rapport with audiences, and utilize VOD to repurpose recorded content. All while saving costs and improving service at the same time.
Adding live stream sessions to your video-on-demand library gives viewers 24-hour access to your offerings. VOD allows them to watch content whenever and wherever they choose. Your audience receives memorable online experiences and the convenience (and performance) they demand.
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