Do you need to upload a video and make it available on-demand for your audience—something like YouTube? Well, YouTube is not the only option. There are numerous Video On Demand (VOD) platforms, and choosing the best one can be challenging. Here is a short guide to help you compare these platforms.
In this blog, we discuss a VOD platform, its benefits for businesses and organizations, and the features a good VOD platform offers. We also compare 6 best VOD platforms based on various features and metrics.
See a live DEMO of what you can create using VIDIZMO
In the past decade, video consumption has changed tremendously, thus creating a radical change in the industry. With the increasing use of the internet, the way content is made, distributed, and consumed has fostered a completely different set of needs.
Today, platforms like Netflix and YouTube are preferred over e-books or magazines. Wonder why? The answer lies in video. As of January 2024, 36% of a user’s screen time was consumed by streaming video content.
Chances are, you, too, want to upload and share video content. You might also want to stream essential events to a public audience as Brightcove did for The Premier League.
You could also use video content for sharing information updates with employees through videos, just like NEC Networks & System Integration Corporation (NESIC) uses VIDIZMO EnterpriseTube to streamline employee training and video content management.
Before we move forward and discuss the different VOD platforms, let's first explore and understand what a VOD platform is.
What is a VOD Video Platform, and How Does it Work?
Let us talk a bit about what a VOD platform is and its benefits compared to traditional broadcasting services.
VOD is an online video delivery system that gives users the freedom to choose what content they want to see and when.
Each video on demand platform has a library of video titles accessible to users based either on their subscription plan or location or any other limitation imposed by the platform.
End users can watch the videos according to their schedule on any compatible device.
It's a form of asynchronous video communication, where the viewer can watch a pre-recorded video at their pace. These platforms have traditional playback features; so simple play, pause, forward, and rewind functionalities are available to users.
This is a great advantage over other video-sharing mediums since you have greater freedom when viewing content. Thus, by using a video-on-demand platform, people have the power to request and watch a specific program at the precise moment when they want it.
According to Statista, 83% of users in the US were using a video-on-demand service in 2023!
You can learn more about VOD platforms in our detailed blog here!
Businesses Benefitting from VOD Streaming Services
With rising popularity, VOD streaming services are of significance to businesses.
However, since the needs of every business are unique, each of them uses them differently. To segregate the market, we have listed a few VOD business models below for a better understanding of how these platforms work:
Types of VOD Models Used by Businesses
Ad-Based VOD Streaming Services
This is the Business Model That YouTube Follows
Ad-based video streaming platforms, also known as Advertising Video on Demand (AVOD), provide the user with "free" access to the content, but these contain advertising inserts. This model is followed in broadcast transmissions (open TV).
The service provider earns from the advertisements placed by companies to raise brand awareness and market their products to particular audiences.
The user does not have to pay a fee or subscription. Many streaming platforms, including market-leading names like YouTube, the world-famous player with a high volume of users and ads, Dailymotion, Facebook Watch, and IGTV use this model.
Monthly Subscription Platforms
This is the Business Model That Netflix Follows
The monthly subscription-based VOD model has become popular since the introduction and rising popularity of Netflix in 2011. Video-on-demand platforms requiring subscriptions are also better known as Subscription Video-on-demand (SVOD).
These platforms may require the user to pay monthly or, in some cases, annually to access the content without advertising.
Netflix, YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime, MAX, and Hulu are good examples of this type of VOD model.
The SVOD segment is, in fact, projected to be valued at US$108.50 billion in 2024.
Some streaming providers provide a mix of AVOD and SVOD—for instance, Viki, which shows advertisements to users with free accounts. However, users have the option to choose a monthly subscription plan and remove ads.
Content Purchase
This is the Business Model That Google Play Follows
When a streaming service requires you to pay for the content you want to view, it is known as Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD). It is based on the idea that users can temporarily acquire (rent) or permanently (sell) the content made available on digital platforms.
The payment per event or 'Pay Per View’ (PPV) segment is also included in this model, which offers access to live content such as sporting events and concerts.
Platforms such as Apple iTunes, Google Play, Microsoft Store and PlayStation Store have this kind of content offering. Amazon Prime Video offers a mix of these models, allowing users to opt for monthly subscription or rent selected content as per their convenience and content availability.
This type of VOD model is also suitable for virtual and online education. Creating a series of recorded videos, bundling them as a course, and charging users for training and learning is now a common practice. Coursera and Udemy are popular platforms doing this.
VOD Platform for Internal Communication – EnterpriseTube
Video is Increasingly Being Used for Internal Communication - Read How Our Customers Do It
Corporations have driven digital transformation with the use of remote collaborative tools and processes. According to many industry experts’ analysis, businesses are rapidly transforming digitally.
Digital transformation is occurring in various aspects of business operations, including employee management and training, company communication, and more.
There has been an increasing trend of using a secure internal VOD—a platform like YouTube, but for enterprises—to further streamline corporate communication and training.
Explore EnterpriseTube by VIDIZMO – a video content delivery system for enterprises.
VIDIZMO EnterpriseTube allows employees to log in and view the organization's exclusive content. This content could include videos of the organization’s internal processes, such as manufacturing, packaging, or sales and marketing information.
One step ahead, these internal VOD platforms let managers decide who can view every video and who can't.
The idea is to create a Netflix-style environment for employees to consume information. These can be recorded Zoom meetings, video training, corporate communications, or expert knowledge documented by employees.
List of the Top 6 VOD Platforms for Streaming Video on Demand (VOD)
Now that we have explained the different kinds of VOD models let's discuss the top 6 VOD platforms that are out there to help businesses grow.
VIDIZMO EnterpriseTube
VIDIZMO EnterpriseTube is a Gartner-recognized enterprise video platform. It includes all the features offered by YouTube or any other platform for streaming video, along with many other amazing value additions.
It's the best when it comes to secure internal on-demand video streaming. It can be used for external and public streaming, but that's not all there is.
Here are a few fantastic features and functions offered by VIDIZMO that benefit organizations and enterprises:
- User-friendly interface: VIDIZMO makes sure it has a user-friendly portal so that users don’t hit snags while navigating through the extensive content library. You can have a look how the platform looks like here.
- Centralized System: VIDIZMO provides a system to stream videos for end-to-end use cases. Whether you're uploading training videos and adding quizzes to them, streaming an advertisement, or transcribing your recorded Zoom meeting, you can use one system to do it all.
-
-
-
- Content Access Management: VIDIZMO offers detailed sharing and access management features. You can limit and control who has viewing and editing rights to your library.
- based on user roles and implement these settings in groups, categories, for individuals, or organization-wide.
- Internal and External Streaming: You can stream to the public for marketing or public relations purposes. You can also use the same portal for private video hosting, such as for training and corporate communication.
- Integrations: VIDIZMO's VOD platform does not operate in isolation, and you can integrate it with your existing IT systems like your LMS, CMS, and Zoom for recorded meetings' management, SSO, and more.
-
-
- Interactivity: Using the VIDIZMO Studio Space, you can add quizzes, surveys, handouts, annotations, and comments to videos to create an interactive two-way video experience.
- Customizable Player: VIDIZMO offers a fully customizable player. Showcase your organization or brand’s colors, typography, and other thematic elements.
- More importantly, you choose the buttons that display on the player—this comes in handy if you want to restrict your audience from skipping ahead or playing/pausing a video.
- Brandable Portal: You get a white-label platform that you can customize to match your brand. Learn more about portal customization and branding on VIDIZMO.
- Data Hosting Options: You can choose where to store your data, in Azure, AWS, or on-premises. This is a great option if you have stringent compliance and security requirements to fulfill.
Learn more about VIDIZMO as an on-demand video (VOD) platform.
The US State Department Uses VIDIZMO For Secure Internal On-demand Streaming - View VIDIZMO Customers.
Nonetheless, there are other platforms that are offering amazing features for VOD including Microsoft Stream.
YouTube
YouTube requires no introduction. It is one of the most famous hosting and streaming options for individuals and businesses looking for live and on-demand video streaming for free. Internal and external stakeholders can use it for marketing, monetization, and entertainment.
What makes YouTube rank in our list of top 6 VOD platforms for businesses? Here are the top features that make YouTube a good choice:
- Improved Discoverability: Google indexes videos uploaded on YouTube, and they appear in search results. Moreover, YouTube has its own algorithm to make sure the relevant audience watches your videos.
- More Users Than Any Other Platform: With over 2.70 monthly users, YouTube is one of the largest platforms for streaming video and hosts a large audience that can be reached.
- Embedding: YouTube lets you embed your video content on your own social media pages and website blogs very easily. By enabling video embedding on YouTube, you can increase the content’s reach and accessibility.
- Accessibility: You can choose between automatic closed captions, or upload them manually as well.
- Customizability: You have a YouTube API available to integrate into existing systems or applications.
- Budget-friendly: YouTube’s video content delivery is free of cost, topped with the fantastic features discussed above.
However, with all these fantastic features, there are some drawbacks to using YouTube as a dedicated VOD platform for a business.
- Monetization: This is restricted to what YouTube offers, and you can't run your own ads or charge for your own subscription.
- Less Secure: YouTube does not let you control who can view the content.
- Content Ownership: Uploading videos on YouTube gives YouTube the right to use your content in any manner. Learn
- Data Storage: You cannot choose where to store your data, and your content will be in YouTube's own data center.
- Branding: All the videos and the entire user experience are standard for all users. You cannot customize the portal according to your organization’s branding. You can't customize the layout, color, logo, domain, or font to your liking.
Brightcove
Brightcove is a video streaming platform designed to offer reliable and scalable VOD streaming services to organizations of all types and sizes. It lets organizations host live streams and manage on-demand video content.
From high-quality videos to impressive features like video interactivity and powerful video analytics, Brightcove is a decent choice for most organizations. Similar to VIDIZMO, it's also recognized by Gartner.
Here are a few reasons why Brightcove is an excellent VOD platform:
- Public Video Streaming: Brightcove helps you create a YouTube-like site where you can upload and stream your exclusive content. It includes optimized video streaming to ensure playback on varying devices and bandwidth conditions.
- Monetization: It offers a range of monetization features to help you earn from your VOD content. You have a range of options, and you can opt for any VOD model, including AVOD, SVOD, or TVOD.
- Interactivity: It allows you to add interactive elements to your videos, such as CTAs, quizzes, surveys, and handouts.
- Customizability: You can generate embedded codes or use their APIs to add your videos to any internal or external site or application.
Despite these benefits, Brightcove has the following drawbacks as a platform for streaming video at the enterprise level:
- Artificial Intelligence: There are no AI capabilities to automatically transcribe videos, which means you'll need to manually generate closed captions and upload them.
- Private Video Streaming: The platform isn't the best for streaming videos privately as there aren't many internal user roles and detailed access management features.
- Limited Integrations: There are few to no integration options, so you can only use the platform as is. You can't use its video playback capabilities in an LMS, CMS, etc.
- Data Storage Options: You can't choose where your data is stored, which may be an issue for organizations that need to fulfill compliance requirements.
Microsoft Stream
Microsoft Stream is best for hosting on-demand video content for an internal audience. So, what makes it so brilliant? It is a video delivery platform that is dedicated towards corporate and enterprise communication and video management.
From a user-friendly yet detailed interface to comprehensive collaboration features, Microsoft Stream is one of the leading names in the world of VOD platforms for enterprises. It is a Gartner-recognized platform focused on managing large data.
Here are some amazing features of Microsoft Stream that have made it rank on our list of top 6 VOD platforms for businesses:
- Security: It gives an added layer of security with SSO integration, along with detailed features such as audit logs, encryption at rest and in-transit, and more.
- Integration with Microsoft Teams: One of Microsoft Stream's best features is that it helps businesses ingest meetings conducted on Microsoft Teams, making it easier to store and access meetings later.
- Device Agnostic: Microsoft Stream allows users to use the platform and access video content on various devices, ensuring on-the-go access.
- Engaging Video Features: It lets live streamers explore options like changing backgrounds and adding effects to the video stream when needed.
However, with many great features, several things are missing from the Microsoft Stream VOD platform.
- Public Streaming: You can't embed a video on a website or share it externally.
- Monetization: The platform has no monetization features whatsoever.
- Accessibility: You cannot add transcripts to videos.
- Interactivity: You cannot add quizzes, handouts, or surveys to videos
- Branding: Unlike VIDIZMO, it does not allow you to brand and customize your video library.
Vimeo
Vimeo has been in the business for quite some time. So, what makes Vimeo rank on our list? Here are a few reasons:
- Branding: With an edge on image and branding compared to its competitors like IBM Watson, it has a very easy-to-use branding and customization option.
- Video Chapters: Video can also be categorized into chapters and hyperlinks, something that YouTube does not offer.
- User-generated Content: Vimeo also lets users create interactive and engaging videos. It can also be used as a knowledge-sharing platform where users can upload videos that are then edited or reviewed by an editor.
- Embedding: Vimeo also allows well-designed micro-sites to have video links embedded with ease.
But, with a list of wonderful features that Vimeo offers, there are a few setbacks that Vimeo users face, including:
- Interactivity: It offers minimal interactivity features.
- User Experience: Users have complained about frequent lags and buffering times.
- Internal VOD: Unlike VIDIZMO, Vimeo is not conducive to internal streaming; you cannot segregate content or add quizzes for training.
Our list does not end here. The last featured VOD platform for businesses is IBM Watson.
IBM Watson Media
IBM Watson has been present in the VOD market since a long time now. It offers a wide range of services and many great features for businesses. Some of these features include:
- Promising Technology: Allowing users to stream without any device restrictions. The quality of videos is very high, even when streaming from a phone.
- Personal Library: The platform allows the creation of a personal playlist to be streamed at any time.
However, with many benefits, there are some restrictions to using IBM Watson as well:
- User Experience: Though the user interface is good and clean, it can surely be better and have more options, like customized branding and better video management.
- Private Streaming: It's not the best for internal or private video streaming, with no options to create teams, add multiple users, or create an internal VOD sharing site.
- Technical Glitches: The videos cannot detect screen orientation on mobile devices, and there have been some issues with embedding videos on websites like viewing orientation and JavaScript errors.
Learn more about IBM Cloud Video and its alternatives.
Conclusion
Now that we have given an extensive overview of all 6 of the best VOD platforms for businesses, it is safe to say that you can explore a range of options. However, the final choice you make will depend largely on your business needs and requirements.
Most of these VOD platforms offer an on-demand, multi-device, and even multi-screen access path to audiences.
We at VIDIZMO offer an advanced enterprise video platform with rich capabilities to support on-demand streaming. The platform provides multiple features to facilitate end-to-end secure video use cases, live streaming, video content management, integrations, artificial intelligence and more.
To stay tuned with great content regarding the video industry, make sure to subscribe to our blog.