Comparing Video Distribution Applications: Veoh, Hey!Spread, Vidmetrix, And TubeMogul

November 21st, 2008

Producers of videos and advertisers may have more in common than they might think - both want to distribute video content across the web, and both rely on services that distribute videos across multiple networks. At one time these services were expensive, used only by professionals or businesses to promote themselves, but as web 2.0 has developed, these services have become accessible for everyone.

This week we looked at four such applications: Veoh, Hey!Spread, Vidmetrix and TubeMogul. We paid particular attention to how easy they are to use, what features they offer, and how many networks they can reach. There’s a chart below to show how these applications stacked up, and for an introduction to this category please see Promoting and Distributing Video Content With Web 2.0.

Hey!Spread TubeMogul Vidmetrix Veoh
Upload size 100mb Over 100mb 100mb Over 100mb
Scheduled deployment no yes no no
Comment manager no yes no no
Networks 17 20 9 6
Batch upload no yes yes no
Tag videos yes no yes yes
Video transcoding yes yes yes yes
Multiple campaigns no yes yes no
Social bookmarking no yes no no
API integration yes yes yes no
Analytics yes yes yes yes
Data export no yes yes no
Buzz tracking/keywords no yes no no
Marketplace no yes no no
Thumbnail assist no yes no no
Tutorials no yes no no
Email reports no yes no no
RSS no yes yes no
Free plan no yes yes yes

With a video distribution service it may seem that distribution is the most important thing, and indeed TubeMogul’s 20 plus network outstrips the other applications, but it should be mentioned that others have their niche. Veoh, for example, may only have 6 outlets, yet can post to blogging platforms such as WordPress and, as Listio readers may already know, Veoh comes with a video hosting site with film and video. Hey!Spread came in second for distribution reach with 17 networks, though Hey!Spread requires users to buy credits before they can use it.

TubeMogul Screenshot

Having a video sent out to the networks is not enough to get your video seen, so promotion too can play a role. All the applications offered a chance to give meta information - descriptions and sometimes tags - to help place the video in front of a receptive audience, and Veoh adds language information (spoken language and subtitles) to further place it. Here again TubeMogul stood out among the applications, offering the categorization the others did as well as a marketplace. With a marketplace, producers of videos can promote and sell their video content, and advertisers can shop for videos that may help promote their product.

Veoh Screenshot

To help keep an eye on your videos, each of the applications offered basic, and in some cases extensive tracking. Viewership, ratings, and the number of comments of your video were standard, but Vidmetrix, Hey!Spread, and TubeMogul also allowed you to track videos by url. TubeMogul goes an extra step with analytic charts that can be emailed and embeddable widgets for daily tracking.

Vidmetrix Screenshot

There was little question that TubeMogul held more for users wishing to distribute videos, even without its premium services which include partner APIs and a comment manager. Hey!Spread was the least attractive, since its service requires a pay-as-you-go model. Users with Hey!Spread are asked to buy credit ($1 for 20 credits) and each action they perform is charged against that. Most services included Veoh in their distribution list, which may lessen the appeal of Veoh, but only Veoh offered language and content meta-information, which in the case of entertainment media may give it better placement and thus more viewers.

HeySpread Screenshot

In the end, users may find the best approach to distributing videos is to combine TubeMogul with Veoh to maximize their reach. To find this application or others like it, there is the Listio search: manage+videos.

Previously in this series: TubeMogul: Distributing Video Easily

Application: Hey!Spread
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/HeySpread/
Website: http://www.heyspread.com
Video distribution service Hey!Spread lets you upload videos to several hosting sites. Paysite.... Learn more
Application: Veoh
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/Veoh/
Website: http://www.veoh.com
Video sharing and online TV application. Rate, comment, and join friends with Veoh. Unlike other video distribution networks, the company distributes video clip content also in its original format. Content can be recorded with a free software also.... Learn more
Application: Vidmetrix
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/Vidmetrix/
Website: http://www.vidmetrix.com
Vidmetrix is a service for distributing videos across a variety of social video hosting sites (like YouTube).... Learn more
Application: TubeMogul
Listio Profile: http://www.listio.com/web20/app/TubeMogul/
Website: http://www.tubemogul.com
With TubeMogul, users upload videos once and TubeMogul deploys them to as many of the top video sharing sites the producer chooses. TubeMogul's integrated analytics then provide a single source of metrics on where, when, and how often the videos are viewed.... Learn more

New to Listio? Our tag cloud search offers an easy way to narrow your hunt for the perfect web application or service. No more second guessing of search terms. Just click on one tag, then as many more as you'd like to narrow your search results. It's easy and ensures you get to the listing you want. Finding web 2.0 was never so easy.

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